Bright eyes
by fluffypuppiness
Summary: Her eyes were bright. He'd hadn't seen eyes that bright since he was a child. Untouched by the wastes, but underneath was a pain that he saw when he looked in a mirror; Maybe learning how to move on meant having someone to share that hurt with. A Female Sole Survivor x MacCready fic. MacCready POV.
1. That's what's part of the risk, right?

**AN.** Hi there, thanks for checking out my fanfiction. Before I dive into this I'd like to make a few notes on what to expect in this story. This is rated M, due to some violence, cursing, drug use, sexual content and some events that may be triggering to some people. I will make sure before each chapter to give a warning of anything in it. I'm going to try and keep most of the dialogue actual dialogue in the game. Sometimes it will not be the same, but I really wanted to keep this as close to the game as possible. Also, I want to make a note now; I am including music that may not be 'lore specific' notably Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen. I felt the song fit the tone I was looking for, and I feel that the song, its tone, and the message is timeless. If this is a big deal for you I apologize but I will get my ways to make you think of Shrek in as much as I can. I will be trying to post weekly on Tuesday. I'm in University, so if I am unable to write I will leave a note at the top of the chapter. I currently have about 20 chapters already written so we should be good for a while. Any feedback is greatly appreciated! Anyways thank you for checking out my story, and enjoy.

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MacCready was on his 3rd drink, it was 11 o'clock in the morning, and maybe for others that would be pretty deep in for that time, but for him, it was behind. He sighed leaning back in the chair, noticing the empty feeling in his jacket that as supposed to be full of caps. He was lucky he had an in with Hancock and Charlie was willing to let him start a tab. It was a big tab now, but that was fine.

He put his drink down when he heard the sound of footsteps. _Customers_. That was his hope. He'd been back for a week, his last job had been escorting some trader across the commonwealth, but the pay had been terrible. He'd decided this week to up his price to 250. So far all the traders had scoffed and walked out. He was getting ready to lower it when he heard the footsteps

 _Oh._

Standing before him was Winlock and Barnes. Old friends when he had been in the gun runners. Now new enemies. He sighed setting his drink down

"Can't say I'm surprised to find you in a dump like this, MacCready," Winlock said, his tone was flat like he was talking to a stranger.

"I was wondering how long it would take your bloodhounds to track me down, Winlock." he sneered at him, "It's been almost 3 months, don't tell me you're getting rusty." he teased, a laugh in the back of his throat. If there was one way to piss off Winlock though, it was to laugh at him. Didn't like feeling like he was the joke.

"Should we take this outside?" MacCready said but he didn't get up. He just leaned back in his chair looking at the two of them. Big men. Gunners had to be big. Had to be strong. Winlock was scrawny of the two and looked more disheveled. His red hair was shaved at the sides and slicked back, and his face was mean. He'd never gotten along with Winlock.  
"It ain't like that, I'm just here to deliver a message," Winlock said, the threat clear in his voice. MacCready felt a strange sense of deja-vu. How often had he been the one to 'delivar' a message?

MacCready pulled himself up now, out of the chair, "In case you forgot I left the gunners for good." He knew how this scene played out. He knew better than to make himself seem defenseless or weak. Standing he was as tall as Winlock. Maybe not as strong, but he could look the man eye to eye.

Winlock didn't move, "Yeah I heard," MacCready took a step forward, glaring at Winlock, "But you're still taking jobs in the commonwealth. That isn't gonna work for us." The end was a low growl, the threat basically jumping out at him. That pissed MacCready off

"I don't take orders from you, not anymore, so why don't you take your girlfriend and walk out of here well you still can." he moved his arm to the door, glancing at it. That was when he noticed what appeared to be a figure, or two, in the hallway. He didn't think of it looking back at Winlock.

"What?! Winlock, tell me we don't have to listen to this shit." Barnes sounded annoyed. MacCready would've called him a friend once. Someone, he could joke too about his problems. Not anymore. The man looking at him didn't look like a friend anymore. His bearded face was in a scowl.

"Listen up MacCready," now Winlock was mad, his serious voice had come out, "The only reason we haven't filled your body full of bullets is we don't want a war with Goodneighbor. See we respect other peoples boundaries," he let out a scoff at that under his breath, "we know how to play the game. It's something you never learned."  
MacCready clapped his hands together and grinned at Winlock "Glad to have disappointed you." he said, feeling like a child being scolded by a parent. _Not that I know what that's like_. Winlock chuckled.

"You can play the tough guy all you want, but if we hear you're still operating in gunner territory, all bets are off. You got that?" he said it like MacCready was stupid, and he felt the heat and anger start to boil up in his chest.

"Ya finished?" he spit it out, he'd tried to hide his anger but it didn't work out so well.

"Yeah. We're finished." Winlock started making his way out of the room, a low chuckle in his voice "Come on Barnes." Barnes looked at MacCready for a second, the anger in his eyes palatable before turning and walking out with Winlock. _Anything you can walk away from_.

He closed his eyes and started sitting back in his chairs when another set of footsteps approached him. He could tell, just from how they landed, and from the figure he had seen in the door, it was a woman.

"Look, lady, If you're preaching about the atom, or looking for a friend, you've got the wrong guy, if you need a hired gun, then maybe we can talk." he opened his eyes then, looking up.

It wasn't a woman. Couldn't be.

Her skin was pale, too pale, and she had long auburn hair tied in a long ponytail down her back. Her hair was full, not limp like everyone else. Her eyes were large deep green pools, with no hints of yellow looking at him, her nose pointed up and straight like it had never been broken before. Her lips were large, and he could see that the top lip was smaller than the bottom, making her face look almost like it wasn't real. It was like she had never been touched by the wastes. He'd never seen anyone like that since…

Then he noticed the suit. A dweller. That explained it. Explained why her body was fuller in places than most other women out there weren't. He leaned back in his chair looking at her. That was when the dog ran out from behind her, running up and sniffing him. He put his hand out and stroked the dogs head. He liked dogs. They had one when he was a kid, named Pete. He noticed now behind her was a woman who clearly was from the wastes. She wore a red cap and had dark brown hair that was lanky. She had wide lips, but she was still pleasant to look at. He moved his eyes from the woman behind the dweller, who was whispering something in her ear, back to the dweller who seemed to listen before opening her mouth.

"Maybe. Why don't you tell me who those guys were first." Her voice was smooth as she asked, curiosity in her voice. He smiled to himself before leaning forward in his chair.

"A couple of morons, looking to climb the ladder of success by stepping on everyone else on the way up," he realized he was divulging too much about himself and his past, reigning it in quick, "Shouldn't be a surprise though, that's how it goes when you run with the gunners."

She looked at him confused, "Never heard of the Gunners. Who are they?" her question was straight and hard. MacCready had to stop himself for a second to process what she was asking. Didn't she know who the gunners were? _Oh yeah, vault._

"They're one of the biggest gangs in the commonwealth. Got a rep for being crazy you know...so tightly wound, you'd think they were a cult or something." He'd given too much of himself away and sighed leaning back in his chair and looking up at the curious eyes "Stuck with them for a while cause the money was good, but I never fit in. That's why I made a clean break and started flying solo." Might as well tell a bit about himself. He could see as she looked down at him that she was a serious customer. The caps were still a question but she looked genuinely interested which was something he hadn't seen in a week.

"Now what about you? How do I know I won't end up with a bullet in my back?" The woman looked at him with what appeared to be alarm. Like she had never heard that question before. Probably hadn't, seeing as she came from a vault. She seemed to process the question though, and a smile spread across her face. Her teeth were perfect. Jesus.

"You don't. That's what part of the risk right?" The way she said it. Sent a weird feeling down his spine. This woman said it like she was asking a question. She was new to this world, he had to give her that, she probably didn't know what the 'risk' was. He smiled to himself.

"Can't argue with that," he stood up from his chair, "I'll tell you what. Price is 250 caps up front. And there's no room for bargaining," He was a bit taller than her, not much but enough that now he was the one looking down at her, "What do you say?"

The woman had smile cross her lips and she folded her arms "Everything's negotiable. Would you take 200?"

Normally he would've told her to scram, but the fact she had the balls to even say that peaked his interest. Not to mention this was the only interested customer he had in a week, and after what had happened with Winlock and Barnes, he felt like being on the road was a safe place to be.

"You drive a hard bargain, but you just bought yourself an extra gun." he stuck his hand out at her. She placed her hand in his. It was soft. Too soft. Like she had never felt a weapon before. No calluses, just smooth skin. She reached her other hand in a pocket in her suit and pulled out 4 small bags, each with caps.

"There's 50 in each bag," she said and he took the bags placed them in his own pocket.

"All right boss. Let's get out of here." he smiled at her, and the dog padded back to the woman, who patted him on the head. He heard her praise the dog for his good behavior, and the word dogmeat. Weird. The second person he had met who named their dog that.

The woman turned walking her way out into the bar. He followed behind her, noticing that she was wearing a long trench coat. The sleeves were rolled up, and her pipboy free of the world to see. The dweller made her way to the table where the other woman was sitting, drinking a Nuka-cola

"You all set up?" the woman asked the dweller, an accent on her voice that MacCready recognized as one from the Commonwealth.

The dweller nodded "Yeah, Hopefully, Nick was right about this guy," he was right behind her, "you sure I can't take you back to Diamond city?"

The woman shook her head, standing up, "There's a caravan I've traveled with before heading back in a few hours. I'm going to take a look around this place, see if theirs any good stories. Probably not, but good to look around for," the woman stretched looking at MacCready "Take care of this girl." she said looking at him with skepticism.

"That's what she paid me for." he chuckled, the woman shook her head.

"Good luck Anne." She said turning and waving her hand, making her way out of the third rail.

Anne. Her name was Anne.

"MacCready," he said and Anne turned looking at him confused.

"My name. You never asked. It's MacCready." he looked at her, and a large smile was on her face. He didn't expect that.

"Good to meet you MacCready." She turned heading towards the door of the rail, and MacCready suddenly had a realization hit

 _What have I gotten myself into?_


	2. Eventually the dam will break

**AN:** Thanks to everyone who has checked out my story! I really appreciate the feedback and knowing you took some time out of your day to read my story! I really appreciate it and am just glad people are interested. Heads up, I will be out of town next Tuesday. I don't know for sure if I will have internet, so I will be posting on Sunday instead, and then to make up for the over a week lull between posts, I may post 2 chapters on the 3rd. I'll let you know more details on Sunday. Anyways please enjoy!

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It had been 3 hours since she'd hired him. They were now sitting outside the ruins of the city, in the forest. He'd placed some empty Nuka cola bottles on a log laying on its side.

He'd been amazed the first time she shot. They were walking out of Goodneighbor when a bunch of wild dogs came running at them. Dogmeat charged at them, teeth gnashing and Anne raised her rifle shaking. Every single shot went through the head. There was one left when she started missing every shot. It was almost on her when out of reflex he pulled out his rifle and shot a bullet through the dog's stomach. The dog whimpered before he walked up to it and slammed the but of his gun into its head, crushing it. He looked at her confused.

"What the hel-heck just happened?" he flung the gun back behind him. She looked at the ground, and dogmeat walked up to her, licking her hand.

"So uh...I have very little..uh training with guns, I have this thing on my pipboy called VATS and when I activate it yeah I can usually hit what I aim at but...I actually hired you hoping you could help teach me too?" She looked up at him, rubbing the back of her neck. She looked ashamed as if she was admitting some secret.

"Wait, you hired me...So I could help teach you how to shoot?" _Been hired for a lot of reasons, but this is a first._

"Well, Nick mentioned he'd heard of some Merc in Goodneighbor who was good with a gun and would be able to teach me better than he could." She looked up at him, a pleading look in her eyes. He felt his stomach start to tighten, something he wasn't used too and then let out a defeated sigh.

"Alright alright, we'll get out of the city somewhere quiet and I can teach you a bit okay? How did you survive this long?" He started walking down the street, shaking his head in disbelief.

Instead of answering dogmeat barked as if he'd heard his name.

So now here he was, in the outskirts of a city, lining up bottles to teach a grown woman how to shoot. You didn't see that often in the wastes.

"Do you know how to load and clean your guns?" he started loading the gun, a 10-millimeter pistol, going slowly in case he had to show her.

"Yeah, I know that much, I just need tips on shooting," she said watching his hands. He didn't need to look down at the bullets, his fingers moved from memory, but watching her eyes flick back and forth. The deep green in her eyes, when the light hit it properly revealed small brown flecks that were hidden under the deep green. He pulled his eyes away. _Why am I looking so deep in her eyes?_

"The big thing," he stood up, now aiming the gun at the nuka cola bottles, "You don't want to be afraid. If you are scared, you're going to miss. Guns are scary, but they are also probably one of the only things to protect you out here. You need to trust your weapon because it's not going to fail you as long as you don't fail it." He raised the weapon at the bottles. He could feel her eyes, burning into him as she watched him move. Made him uncomfortable.

"So when you have the gun up, aim at your target. Make sure you have him lined up in your sights. Take a breath in, and as you pull the trigger let it out. Make the breath long, don't huff it out, let it out with your mouth in one go. Eventually, you will start doing it without even thinking, it'll just become natural. Watch." He shook off the feeling of her watching him and sucked a breath in, aiming on the bottles in his sights before letting out his breath and firing. He did this 3 times, knocking down three of the bottles. He lowered the gun and looked at her.

"Eventually you won't even need the sights, you'll be able to just blind fire." he looked back at the bottles, 2 remained and he raised the gun just aiming at them and shooting. Both hit. He looked at her smugly.

"Amazing I know. Try not to fall in love boss." he winked, and she shook her head, a bright red creeping up her neck. Seeing that he felt a heat start at his ears and quickly walked over to the log and reset the bottles before walking back, nodding at her and holding the gun out to her.

"Okay your turn." she took the gun and looked down at the ground before looking up. Both hands on the gun. Her stance was awful, and he watched as she took the gun in her hands and took a long breath as she pulled the trigger. She missed by miles. He slid beside her, placing his hands over hers and his face beside her.

"No, you want to shoot while you are breathing out not in. Do it with me." he took a breath in, and she followed suit. He could smell the sweat from the sun on her, and a weird flowery smell. That scent made him realize how close he was to her, but now he was in his muscle memory. He breathed out, and she followed with him, pulling the trigger. He watched from her shoulder as the bullet flew out, the casing flying away from them. He watched as the nuka bottle got a chip off the top. It wasn't a perfect hit but it was something. He smiled to himself, and now realized how close she was, and the feeling of her soft hands beneath his. He noticed something else and quickly pulled away coughing a bit.

She turned to him smiling wildly "I hit it!" she said excitedly and he smirked at her.

"Don't get cocky boss, keep practicing until they're all down. Then you can try with a rifle." She smiled at him and turned quickly getting her stance back.

"So where did you get your basic training? You seem to know a bit about guns, like how to clean them and sh-stuff, so who taught you that?" maybe he was prying, but he realized maybe he should know more about this girl then her name, and where she was from. Why had she hired him other than the teaching part?

"My husband," she let out another shot, hitting another bottle, "it was our first date. Was years ago though so I don't remember it all well." A vault with enough room to shoot guns for fun? He only knew a small handful of people from a vault but he remembered hearing them talk about how cramped it was. _Her husband huh?_ He'd felt the ring on her finger, and while he knew that what was going on here was innocent _Right?_ He now knew where the line in the sand was drawn for her. _Don't see wedding rings often._ It was some old tradition from before the war, barely anyone could get actual rings now.

"So why am I out here teaching you and not him?" He asked, leaning against a tree and pulling out a cigarette. He hated smoking, was disgusting, but in this world everything was.

She raised the gun, pointing it at the third bottle, "He's dead" the rang shot out breaking a silence that had just appeared. He looked down at the grass, trying to think of something clever to say but instead came up empty. He expected to hear the reloading of the gun, but instead, the silence hung. He looked up and saw her standing there her head hung, her shoulders hunched over her. He knew that look. He pulled the cigarette from his mouth and walked over to her. She stood there, both hands on the gun, pointed at the ground and her face was sad. He stood there for a minute looking at her, taking a long drag on his cigarette before her head came up.

"Happened recently?" he asked, offering her the cigarette which she took her hand shaking ever so slightly and took a long drag. She didn't blow the smoke out. She just let it pour out of her mouth, up her face. The smoke enveloped the bright eyes that had looked at him and he suddenly regretted handing her the cigarette. She shook her head pulling her sleeves up and rubbing her eyes.

"Yeah." She shook her herself before letting out a long breath, "Can I try the rifle now?"

He blinked. What had happened? The woman who had been there a moment ago, the weak teary-eyed woman was gone, and now stood the confident woman who had walked into the rail. He blinked before pulling the rifle from his shoulder and took the gun from her hand. He sat against the tree and placed the gun down beside him, dogmeat laying on the ground curled up. He kept smoking and watched her. She stood there for a bit, seeming to just try and get herself composed. She raised the gun, there was a pause and then a shot rang out, along with the sound of the bottle shattering.

"You know...you can hold it in but eventually the dam will break," he took the cigarette and pressed it into the bottom of his boot, "Trust me." He said that last part under his breath, more to himself. He gave Dogmeat a scratch on the head, and dogmeat rolled a bit, showing his belly.

She was reloading "I know, but it'll have to wait. I've got stuff to do before I can break." she raised the gun. He looked at her confused.

"What's more important than mourning?" he asked, not trying to sound defensive, but it came out that way, his hand now scratching Dogmeats stomach.

She glanced back at him her eyes meeting his like they were looking into his soul. _She's judging me._ Her eyes went back to the bottles, "I have to get back my son." He heard the rifle click, as she aimed it.

He blinked, his hand freezing on Dogmeats soft stomach, "Wait, what?" A shot rang out through the woods and the shattering of glass.


	3. Time flies like an arrow

**AN:** Thanks everyone for checking out my story! I appreciate it greatly! I will be uploading a story again on Friday since I'll be gone this week. If it's not up by Friday evening I will have it up on Saturday, since that's the day I get back. Anyways enjoy the chapter, and have a good week!

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Later that day they were laying in a small shack. There was one mattress which Anne was laying on, with dogmeat curled up beside her. He was sitting against one of the rusty walls and was staring at the fire, two empty cans of beans sitting beside it.

"Thoughts?" he looked up, she was looking at him. The fire danced off her clear eyes, and the orange flickered with the green.

 _That you not telling me what you meant when you said you had to get back your son is driving me crazy._ "You point and I'll shoot. Pretty simple arrangement." he looked back down at her, her eyes were still on him. It made him uncomfortable when she looked at him like she was analyzing him.

Anne shrugged, taking her eyes from him and looking up. MacCready followed her lead, looking up. The ceiling had cracks, and he could see the stars twinkling down at him, laughing at him. His eyes drifted where they always did when he looked at the night sky, the big dipper.

 _Lucy taught me that._

Anne let out a sad sigh, "You know...the rest of the world...it changed. All went to shit, but when I came out...the sky was still blue...the stars are still there, mostly." MacCready glanced down at her.

"Thought you were from a vault? Did you go in after it closed?" he looked back at her, she was still looking at the sky.

"No, I mean...kinda. Went in what feels like only a few weeks ago...but we went in years ago" the way she said it made him suck in a breath. It was like she was in a dream, trying to keep herself asleep and speaking quietly.

"Boss what are you talking about?" he leaned forward, trying to get her to open up a bit. _Why?_

"I remember when the bombs fell," she said. The words exploded over him, and he suddenly felt very awake, "I remember the bright orange and the mushroom. It was so large...I didn't have to hear the screaming...I just….I felt it...I remember feeling the air rush towards me and it almost knocked me back, even the air didn't want to be there." she chuckled sadly, her eyes never left the stars.

"You...you saw the bombs fall? That was...like a million years ago." he rubbed his face. None of this makes sense.

"It was two hundred years ago," she said the words solemnly, "We thought they'd give us a new life...but they froze us...didn't even warn us. They just put us, my baby, in these pods and froze us." her voice didn't seem to waver. The words came out as if she'd been thinking them a million times over. He couldn't think of anything witty to say. He just sat there looking at her.

"I woke up, and they shot my husband. My son Shaun was with him, and this man took him. My baby." she sounded so sad, lost. _I know that feeling._

"Nick said that you were the best merc in the commonwealth, and this man has my son...and I need help. I didn't just hire you to teach me how to shoot. I need you to help me." She turned her head to him, and the fire danced off her eyes. He sat there, looking at her, trying to figure out what to say to those bright eyes.

"Well, shi-shoot. You can't tell me that sob story and expect me to walk away." she let out a quiet laugh.

"I paid you all the caps I had. You walk away I expect a refund." she looked back up at the sky, and MacCready looked up as well.

"Do you know who took your son?" a star flew past them.

"Names Kellog. I have to track him with Nick."

He let out a low hum of knowing. They sat there for a bit in silence, he watched the stars, making their way across the sky. He looked down, opening his mouth to make a joke to see her sleeping. Her mouth was open a bit, a few strands of auburn hair fell down her face, and her nose was whistling. He watched her sleep for a bit.

 _Could just walk. Probably better for her. I couldn't even protect my wife, who grew up out here, and how am I going to protect this woman who barely knows how to hold a gun._

He stood up and walked a bit out down the road. He pulled a cigarette out and lit it. He took a long drag. He looked up at the big dipper. Connecting the stars with his eyes.

 _We'd just lay there, looking at her explain the stars. She was always so excited._

The stars didn't make him happy like they used to. They just looked empty. He didn't feel much anymore, to be honest. He didn't drink because it made him happy. It just made him forget the fact that he missed the fun he used to have. He sighed looking down and throwing his cigarette on the ground and stepping on it. He heard footsteps making their way towards him. He grabbed his rifle before seeing the figure of a woman make his way towards him. The moonlight hit her as she walked towards him. It was Anne.

She was crying.

"Does it get easier." her voice broke, and he felt himself buckle. He looked down.

"No. No, it doesn't. You just keep moving." he said the words quietly like he was admitting them.

She crouched on the ground, covering her face with her hands, "Everything's gone, my home, my family, my husband, my life," she let out a sad sob, "All that's left is my son and I don't know where he is." Her crouched down looking at her.

"I'm sorry, I can't imagine what you're going through." He said softly, she pushed her hands over the rest of her face, her hair going back, the moon lighting up her pale face. She looked like she didn't belong on this planet, some angel who had fallen from heaven and now had to toil with man.

"I'm so tired," She said quietly, looking at the dirt, "I wasn't made for this." MacCready let out a long sigh.

"None of us were, but we do our best because that's what people like us do," she raised her eyes up to him, "We survive." She let out a long sigh.

"Thanks," She said standing up and shaking herself and looking at him, "Ready to head back?" She asked, sticking her hand out to him. He looked at it for a second before taking it. They stood there looking for each other for a moment, her soft hand under his. The moon illuminated her eyes, making her look like a haunting relic of the past. He realized he was holding his breath.

They sat in the shed for a few minutes, and then MacCready opened his mouth.

"What...what was it like?" He asked, and she looked at him again seeming surprised before shrugging.

"It was...not nice, it had lots of problems, but it was better than this. I don't know...it was loud." She said softly her eyes in the sky again.

"What...what was your life like?" He asked and she chuckled.

"I just finished school, We lived in a small home...got married a year ago...or...you know what I mean...I was getting ready to work again...Nate was in the army...he retired though when I was 6 months pregnant. Only he and another guy got out alive from his squad. Nate came home really...sick, so I spent the last few months trying to help him, while heavily pregnant." she let out a long sigh.

"That sounds hard," MacCready said looking back up at the roof.

"It was worth it. Nate was worth it." she said softly, he could hear a giggle in her voice, "He had this stupid joke." she chuckled and he looked at her raising an eyebrow, "Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana."

He just looked at her before he burst out laughing. "That is the stupidest thing I've heard." he laughed, clutching his stomach. She looked at MacCready and shook her head with a sad sigh mumbling something to herself he couldn't hear. After a while he calmed down, looking through the cracks again.

"So technically...how old are you?" He asked. He still had a hard time telling if she was older or younger most of the time.

"Technically, I'm 234. I'm actually 24 years old," She shrugged, "I think I look pretty good considering." She said with a chuckle.

"No, you don't look a day over 220," he said with a grin. They laughed quietly into the night before falling into comfortable silence again.

"How did you meet your husband? How did you...meet people?" MacCready asked. She laughed.

"I don't know? He came to my school to talk to some students, how do you meet people out here?" She asked looking at him confused, a smirk on her lips.

"Uh I met a girl once because we were hiding from mutants...uh...stopping in towns, people paying you with sexual favors..." MacCready rubbed the back of his neck, Anne laughed looking at him. He noticed little lines came at her eyes as they squinted with her laugh.

"I think two of those existed before the war started." She said looking at him smiling, little lines by her smile.

"The super mutant one right?" He asked smiling. She laughed at him.

"I mean, there were some guys before the war who made super mutants look pretty," she said moving her head back so she was looking through the cracks of the ceiling, the stars reflecting off her eyes, dancing in the green.

"There are guys now who give super mutants a run for their money. They make ghouls look amazing," he laughed, "I knew this guy in the capital wasteland who hired me once, he'd had his nose broken about thirty times. It was horrifying." He looked back up at the stars smiling to himself. Silence enveloped them, and he looked at her. She was fast asleep, with dogmeat was laying beside her asleep. As she slept her nose started to whistle, very quietly.

He found himself looking at her face. He could see a small scar on her lip, fresh still. Her lips were full, and her lips dipped in at the top quite a bit, shapely. He realized he was looking at her lips and looked back up at the sky, at the stars twinkling down at him, the big dipper connecting in the sky. He didn't feel joy or excitement as he used to. But when he looked at Anne, sometimes he felt something.


	4. A Proper Wastelander

**AN:** Posts will be back to normal on Tuesday! Have a good weekend!  
 **WARNING: SEXUAL THEMES**

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They walked all the next day, having only gotten a few hours of sleep he felt stiff and his head felt heavy. As they walked to the city they came across a few bloatflies, and wild dogs. Anne missed a few times, but after the 4th enemy, she started hitting her targets. He instructed her to stay crouched in front of him so he could shoot over her, not wanting to take a bullet to the back. He didn't shoot all the time, letting Anne get to practice, and she was doing better. The walk was quite though, mostly, with her radio playing music over the wastes. He listened with her, humming along to some of the songs that played sometimes quietly to himself, though sometimes he swore she seemed to glance at him with a smirk like she heard him. They were almost at Diamond City when they walked past an old clothing store. Normally he wouldn't look twice at those stores, they were useless. No money, nothing of worth, raiders didn't even bother with them. He'd noticed as they had walked how bright the blue stood out, how compared to the browns and yellows of the wastes the blue caught your eye. He let out an aggravated sigh and turned, making his way into the store. He heard her footsteps continue in the direction they had been walking before pausing.

"What are you doing?" She asked running to catch up with him, the dog paddling behind her.

"You stand out like a sore thumb in that suit boss. We have to find you something else. Your coat's fine but you need something to blend in, get the sucker sign off your back." He opened the door and put his arm out blocking her from coming in.

"Stay behind me," he said softly taking a step forward, his rifle raised. The dog was handy in these situations, with it sensing enemies before he did that it growled. He made his way slowly through the store, thankfully though there were only a couple of radroaches here and there, which he let her take out for practice. When he was sure it was clear he sat down and looked at her "Find something to wear, I'll wait here." he pulled out a cigarette. She looked at him.

"Any recommendations?" She said, a lopsided smile on her face as she looked around the room.

"Just don't wear a dress, they ain't practical," he said through a puff of smoke. She walked off, dogmeat sitting beside him. He patted the dog on the head and it let out a happy huff. MacCready liked dogs, he never liked killing them out in the wastes. Couldn't be avoided but he'd been around enough dogs to know that most of them were great. They had a dog for a bit in the capital wasteland. Duncan had found it behind their farm, a small puppy that had been abandoned by its mother. The runt was what people had told him, said it would probably die before the end of the week. MacCready remembered watching the little puppy, its eyes sealed shut and crying for its mother. He couldn't leave that small puppy. It took a lot of late nights, and a lot of patience but eventually that puppy had become the best damn dog he had ever had. Duncan had started calling it Og, and the name stuck. It'd been 9 months now and he wondered if Og even remembered him. _Does Duncan even remember me?_

He could hear where she was by the music playing off her pipboy.

 _It's all over but the crying._

He tried to think of something to do but quickly got bored and stood up stretching. Dogmeat looked up at him and cocked his head, one ear flopping slightly. He told the dog to stay and started walking around.

 _And nobody's crying but me._

Most of the clothes here were ruined, with holes and dirt in them. He considered maybe grabbing something but realized there was no point and just kept walking around. MacCready tried to stay far away from where the music was, knowing she would be over there changing.

 _Friends all over know I'm trying._

He walked for a bit before coming across a mirror, cracked and grimy. He stopped and looked at himself in it. His beard was probably the thickest it would ever get. It would only grow around his mouth, as much as he wanted to grow a full beard. His eyes were sunken in, and dark circles from the night before left their mark on his face. His jacket was tattered at the bottom and was missing a sleeve. He remembered buying this jacket when he first left little lamplight. The jacket represented him well. Worn, tattered, and grimy. He groaned running his hand over his face when he saw a flicker of movement in the mirror.

 _To forget about how much I care for you._

He moved a bit and saw what it was. It wasn't much, but he could see her bare back, just as pale as she was as she pulled her vault suit off. A rack covered the rest of her lower half but he could see her back. She was even paler underneath her vault suit. Her long auburn hair cascaded down midway down her back, and as she moved it moved with her.

 _It's all over but the dreaming._

He didn't realize his hand was wiping the grime off the mirror until it was all gone. He really wanted to pull away but it felt like if he moved she'd evaporate. He'd never seen anything as otherworldy as her. He stood frozen as a deer and she moved slowly, turning her body towards him. He didn't move just looking in the mirror.

 _Poor little dreams that keep trying to come true._

MacCready could now see her from the side. She wasn't deathly thin like other women in the wastes, but she wasn't large either. She looked fit, and he moved his way up her figure to her breast. Only a glimpse of it, but he could see that her breasts weren't large. They were a small size compared to most women. He quickly dragged his eyes away, moving to her face. She was mouthing along with the words, she turned again and MacCready realized what he was doing.

 _It's all over but the crying._

He felt hot all over. What the hell did he think he was doing. He quietly made his way back to dogmeat, who had curled up on the ground again. He took a seat and buried his hands in his face.

 _And I can't get over crying over you._

What the hell was that? Why had he stared at her for so long? God, he hated traveling with women.

His thoughts were broken by a whistle that came from across the store and dogmeat stood up and went running. He looked up. Her hair was tied back in a ponytail, but now she wore a ripped pair of brown shorts, high combat boots that went a bit past her knee's, a belt holding her coat together and an oversized white shirt that had holes showing some of her skin through it. Around her neck was a long piece of torn fabric that looked like she could wrap it around her head. He tried to look at her in her outfit and not the image of the mirror in his head.

"Do I look like a proper wastelander?" she asked playfully, scratching Dogmeats ear. He didn't say anything he just nodded before quickly pulling himself up and saying something about how they should hurry too diamond city. He turned from her quickly and started making his way out of the store, ignoring her asking him what was wrong. He just kept walking, trying to push the image of her bright skin out of his mind until he saw the green security of Diamond city. They stopped him but Anne came up beside him, and the security seemed to recognize her. No questions were asked and both of them walked into the city.

Took an hour but they made their way to Diamond city with no problems. They walked down the stands into the marketplace when he heard a guard pull her aside, "You and your mercenary friend keep your gun in your pants? Capeche? She said some sort of reply and MacCready looked at her.

"Haven't been to Diamond city in years but I'll tell you, nothing's changed," MacCready smirked down at her. She seemed startled by that but said nothing. They walked through the market, her stopping at Diamond city surplus and selling extra junk she had picked up while they were traveling. He made his way over to the noodle stand and sat down, Anne walked up to him and looked at him.

"Have you ever had this guy's noodles? They're amazing." he looked back at the robot and started pulling caps out.

"I tried buying noodles from him before. He just said something to me in some weird language." she stood behind MacCready watching as he ordered.

"What's up Taka? Set me up with some of your shima...uh shimichanga...errr, whatever they're called."

"Nan-ni shimasho-ka?" The robot said back.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah! That's the stuff." He pulled his caps bag out and started pulling out the 55 caps. Yeah, they were overpriced too hell, but he never came to Diamond city, and he loved these noodles.

"Nan-ni shimasho-ka?" The robot said as it started scooping noodles from the pot that was on the counter into a bowl.

"You're damn right I'll take two servings." he smiled taking the first bowl as the robot started scooping a second. He looked back at up at Anne who looked confused.

"Just gotta know how to talk to him. Go finish selling your crap I'll keep the second bowl so you can try it," he said looking back at the robot and grabbed a fork the robot mechanically pushed towards him. He started eating, hearing Anne walk away. He looked around a bit before turning in his chair and looking around the market. People moved past him without even looking. Some little boy ran past him chasing a girl. Hearing kids laugh made him think of little lamplight. Of his childhood running around caves and pretending to be an adult by swearing all the time. _What would Duncan have thought of me? What about Lucy?_ He looked down in his noodles. _Probably that I was a jerk._ He slurped some noodles up using the fork to hold them steady. Takashi pushed the second bowl forward.

"Nan-ni shimasho-ka?"

"Yeah thanks, Taka," he said looking around for Anne. The noodles were already cold, but no need for her to make them colder by dicking around at the stores looking at things she couldn't afford. He found her at Chem-I-Care selling some of the jet they had found. She didn't know what jet was, but she had seen some of the jet junkies and hadn't wanted to try it, mumbling something about her brother. He hadn't bothered to ask. He'd tried Jet, psycho, mentants, and some stuff someone had sold him called rebound that came from out east. He didn't really care for it. The stuff just made him angry, he didn't want to be angry. He had tried this one thing though. Was like a cigarette, Hancock kept hidden in his office. He'd smoked one with Hancock, who said he got it when he went to down south a few years ago. Stuff had made MacCready feel light, like everything he was afraid of had just melted away. He'd asked for more but Hancock said he didn't have much and liked to save it. MacCready figured it was some pre-war drug. Maybe he should ask Anne what it was. He watched her talk to Solomon. He was standing and she was leaning against a small table, smiling at him. _What's she doing?_ She laughed at something and when she did that she knocked something over, buffout? He could see her apologizing but he was laughing at her and bent over to pick it up.

He watched her other arm reach behind her, and wrap around something and slide it up her sleeve. _Did she just?_ She smiled at him before pointing at MacCready. He quickly turned around looking back at Takahashi. _Why do I keep looking at her?_

He heard her footsteps behind him, and she took a seat beside him. He pushed the noodles towards her but saw her fiddling with her sleeve. He didn't move his head but glanced down at her. She was moving a couple of stimpaks from under sleeve now, opening her pack.

"I saw what you did there," he said picking his bowl up with his hands and tipping the last bits of juice into his mouth.

"Did what? I just had a friendly chat with Solomon." she pulled the noodles close and started eating. He could hear the mischievous tone in her voice.

"Nan-ni shimasho-ka?"

"Didn't expect that from someone like you, being you could barely shoot a gun yesterday." he put the bowl down, pushing it forward, where Takahashi took it.

"I was a bit of a bad kid when I was younger. There's a lot of things you don't know about me." she winked at him and MacCready felt his ears start to heat up.

 _More then you think._ He shook his head, the image of the mirror popping back in his head. He didn't want to think about that.

He could hear her beside him, eating some noodles and the sound of the radio playing between them.


	5. I only take the best

**AN:** Warning there will be sexual themes in this chapter as well. About as tame as the last one but I want to give a heads up just in case. Hope everyone had a good couple of days! For everyone going back to school, good luck! I believe in you!

* * *

They finished eating and the two of them started walking towards Valentine detective agency. He'd never heard of the place before, but Anne mentioned that he was the one who recommended MacCready. The two of them entered a small alley that you could only tell was there from the neon sign outside of it. At the end was a small door she opened the door and they walked in. There was a desk where a young woman sat who looked up. She had brown hair tied up and wore a pink dress with a black vest over top. She was very pretty and her eyes were a deep brown that had a fire behind them. She smiled at the two of them.

"Oh, you're back Anne. One second." she stood up, throwing MacCready a quick look up and down before walking through a small door frame. He looked at Anne curiously.

"That's Ellie, Nick's assistant," she said before two figures walked through the doorframe

 _Oh._

The man was a synth, but not like how he was used to synths. It was one of those older synths where he could see the seems on its face. It's one hand was metal and it wore tattered detective clothes, a black fedora, and his yellow robotic eyes fell on MacCready. He nodded at MacCready like he knew him and MacCready was tempted to say something but the synth looked at Anne with his weird yellow eyes.

 _God those are terrifying._

"You ready now kid?" he asked. His voice sounded like his mouth was full of marbles and he had a thick accent like the people in the commonwealth seemed to have.

"Yeah, we're ready." _We?_ He looked past Anne at the young woman. She was staring at him. He smiled and she quickly turned around, her face turning red and she busied herself with some papers on the desk behind her. He smiled to himself looking at the ground. _Still got it._

"Alright, you two can head out with the dog, I'll be right there. Let me just get some stuff." the weird voice said to them. It turned towards the young woman, raising his weird metal hand in a gesturing motion. _How does he shoot?_

Anne nodded and turned around, looking at MacCready. He opened the door, "Ladies first." she scoffed as she walked by and he looked back in the small room. The girl was staring at him again, even though the synth was talking to her about something. He smiled nodding at her and turned following Anne out. They walked down the hallway, with the dog paddling infront of them.

"You shouldn't tease her like that." Anne looked sideways at him, a playful smirk on her face.

"I wasn't teasing. She was staring at me." MacCready chuckled pulling a cigarette out of his pocket and placing it between his lips. He started patting around for a lighter. Before he found one there was a small flame before his nose. He looked up and there in front of his cigarette was Anne's hand holding a lighter with a little flame dancing at the end of it, reflecting in her eyes. He mumbled thanks leaning forward and inhaling. The cigarette lit and MacCready pulled his head back. She pulled the lighter away and held her other hand out. He placed the cigarette in her fingers. She took a long drag and blew the smoke out, watching it go up in the air. She handed it back.

"You know what I mean. You shouldn't do that too a woman if you ain't gonna act on it," she said leaning against the shack. MacCready felt his face scrunch and he looked down at her, inhaling the smoke.

"What makes you think I wouldn't act on it?" he said before blowing the smoke out. _Why am I asking this?_ He passed the cigarette back to her.

"I've spent enough time around men to know their intentions or lack of them," she said, a smirk on her face as she looked up at him and placed the cigarette between her lips. He stared at her, watching the lights of the city dance off her eyes, and the sadness he now saw beneath it. Her lips tightened around the cigarette and he saw her chest raise as she inhaled.

 _He'd never seen anything as otherworldly as her._

He felt his ears start to turn red and he saw her look past him, down the street, and the smoke came out her nose. He quickly looked up at the sky coughing slightly, before feeling her hand bump his arm. He looked back at her. The cigarette in her hand.

"Oh uh. Thanks," he mumbled taking the cigarette. He started taking a drag when the door shut. The dog perked up before running to the synth. He glanced back. The synth was petting the dog, one hand looked almost human other than the colour, and the other the metal. The dog looked up happily at the...man?

"Glad to see you found the help I suggested," Nick said to Anne, glancing at MacCready, "Heard about you from some not so nice guys kid. Hope you live up to what they say." The synth pulled out a cigar and handed it to Anne. _Who the hell telling this thing about me?_ He shook his head and realized that the Synth was now talking to Anne.

"Alright, I got it," she said nodding and bent down, holding the cigar out, "Dogmeat, get the scentboy," the dog eargerly leaned forward sniffing the cigar before looking up at Anne who sighed "I'm trusting my family's future to a dog. That's it, I'm officially crazy." MacCready chuckled, and Dogmeat barked at him before running down the road. She instantly started running after the dog, Nick following behind her. MacCready sighed, snuffing the cigarette out on the bottom of his shoe and placing it in his pocket before chasing after the 3 of them. They ran out of the city, passing people who seemed surprised to see the dog being chased by a woman, a synth, and then a merc. They exited the city and started down the roads until they got too a small pond on the outskirts of the ruins, where a small what appeared to almost be a dock sat in the water. Dogmeat barked happily.

"Hmm...Kellog must have stopped here. Search around, see if we can pick up the trail." The synth commanded and started looking around. MacCready felt like he was going crazy. _I could've told her that._

He started walking around, looking for footprints when he glanced Anne, who was holding another cigar in her hand.

"Sanfrancsco sunlights. Kellog's preferred brand alright," she mumbled and he walked up beside her, looking over her shoulder. She bent down again, holding the cigar out to dogmeat.

She used her freehand to scratch dogmeat behind the ear, "Okay boy, let's track him." she mumbled and the dog barked at her before continuing down the ruined road. She turned and lurched backward, not realizing he was standing right behind her.

"Jesus you snuck up on me," she said looking at him. MacCready gave her a teethy smile before remembering his teeth were mostly chipped or cracked and quickly closed his mouth. _Why does it matter if she sees your teeth?_

"Pretty clever mutt you have there," he said, and she looked up at him and smiled.

"I only take the best," she said, moving past him after the dog. Took him a second to realize what she meant. _Ah._

Dogmeat turned down some rail track, and the 3 of them chased after him, MacCready realizing how riddiculous it looked for a synth, merc, and pre-war woman to be chasing after this dog. _Didn't get paid to think about how stupid you look._

They were still running when some molerats popped out of the ground. Dogmeat instantly grabbed one by the throat and started shaking, while MacCready grabbed his rifle and shot one in the head, watching as it fell limp. The one beside it fell down, and he looked at Valentine who had his revolver pointed behind them. No, he looked up at Anne who looked at him and smiled. She was getting better. A shot rang out behind him and he heard the thud of a body. He glanced back at Velentine who had taken out a Molerat that had come up from behind them.

"Didn't even break a sweat, not that that's an option." the synth said, and MacCready found himself chuckling at that. Didn't expect the robot to have a sense of humor. Dogmeat sniffed thr ground again and then ran off down the tracks again. They ran for a while before reaching a set of stairs that the dog ran down, coming out to an old freeway full of ruined cars. Dogmeat ran through a doorway on the otherside and Anne stopped.

"Oh," she said softly, a dead body sitting at the bottom of the stairs. The synth didn't walk up behind them, instead, he started walking around looking at stuff.

"Looks like another one of Kellogs pitstops. Keep your eyes open." The synth said behind them, continung to walk around. MacCready started looking around the body, while Anne made her way past him. Dogmeat sat down, looking up at MacCready. He reached down stroking the dogs head.

"Smart pooch. I could've used a dog like you when I was making my way up here from the capital wasteland," he said to dogmeat who looked at him happily. He looked back at Anne, who was walking towards them but looking past them

"Bloody bandages. Dogmeat can track this," she said under her breath, not very well since he could hear her. He turned to look at her as she pulled the bandages down. He looked past her at the synth, who hadn't noticed yet. She held the bandages out and dogmeat sniffed it before turning around and running right past MacCready, almost knocking him over and up the stairs. Nick came up behind them.

"Good job kid, you ever thought about becoming a detective," he said to Anne who laughed. The two ran up the stairs after dogmeat, and MacCready watched them before running up after them. _I'm really not doing much, am I?_

They got up the stairs to a pack of wild dogs, and he pulled his rifle down, but then two of the dogs fell. He looked up. Valentine's gun wasn't up yet, but Anne had her small pistol in her hand. _God damn, she learned fast._ He thought as he shot the other remianing two in the head quickly before Valetine could. _Remind them why I'm here._

Valentine let out a whistle, "Now I see why I've heard so much about you." he saidhis yellow robotic eyes looking at MacCready. Before he could say anything Dogmeat was off again, and those two were chasing him. Dogmeat quickly ended back on the railway, running down it. They were running for a bit when he saw movement out of the corner of his eye. Valentine and Anne hadn't seen it, but he did, and his rifle was out.

"We got company!" he shouted ahead, and Dogmeat stopped to growl. Standing there, coming out of the bush was a yao-guai. Clearly stunted, but still a formidable foe. _Gotta get between it and Anne._

He pulled his rifle down firing two quick shots at it, the creature just roared though and started charging at them. He moved fast running between it and Anne and standing infront of her and crouching.

"Aim for the eyes," he shouted at her, and he didn't have time to notice if she did. It had its eyes on him, and before it reached him Dogmeat jumped on it, digging its teeth into the monster's neck. The yao-guai started shaking and reaching for dogmeat. MacCready had enough time now, he raised his rifle and went to shoot it in the head. Valentine let out a shot and the creature fell, one of its back legs having been broken. MacCready was realigning his shot when the creature fell over, a large hole in its head. Dogmeat scrambled out from underneath it, shaking himself. MacCready looked up. Instead of the pistol in her hand was a rifle, like his. _Where did she get that?_ She had her eyes wide and looked at him, pride beaming off her. He chuckled standing up and brushing some dust off his knee's.

"You're getting good boss. Soon you won't need me." she rolled her eyes at him, and before he could ask her about that, he heard Valentine make a loud coughing noise.

"If you kids are done, we got a kidnapper to track," he said his yellow eyes looking at MacCready and the Anne. He could feel his ears get hot and he took a step back. Anne looked away and Dogmeat barked happily before running down the rail. Anne quickly on his paws.

They ran until they reached a small rusty building. Dogmeat sat down looking around and barked.

"All right Dogmeats found something. You know the drill." Valentine said as they descended down the stairs. The dogs tail wagged quickly, proud of himself. It was like he didn't remember what had happened only a few minutes ago. They turned a corner where a set of legs stuck out on a sleeping bag.

"Oh crap," he whispered, and before he could say anything Anne was sneaking her way up there. He had his gun out when he heard the familar beeping of a fragmine. _She's gonna get hit_. What did he do? Did he grab her and potentially get injured too, or did he run? His feet started moving before his mind did, but before he could even take a step the beeping had stopped and the fragmine was in her hands.

"A decoy huh? Clever." she placed the frag mine in her pack as she started looking around the sleeping bag.

"How did you do that?" MacCready said, still trying to wrap his head around what she had just done. She didn't even look up.

"My husband was military and really distinguished. He told me a lot about what he did on the field. Fragmines have a little button them that you can hit before they go off." she said, not very loudly, her mind clearly on something else. She stood up shaking her head, making her way out of the tunnel. MacCready walked up to the sleeping bag. It was a stupid shop mannequin resting on the sleeping bag. Oldest trick in the book behind putting a frag mine in baby carriages.

"How long ago did she hire you?" came from behind him. MacCready almost jumped and looked back at the synth, who was standing behind him, smoking a cigarette. _Can it smoke?_

"Uh, she hired me yesterday morning so...almost two days?" He looked around. It had to be after midnight now right?

"From the way you two get along I thought, it would've been longer than that." The synth said, some smoke coming out of his weird neck hole. _Is it rude if I look at it?_

"Yeah, we had an interesting night," MacCready said looking away from the synth and at the cracks in the concrete trying to find something to focus on.

"Oh did you? I'll let Ellie know," MacCready's head snapped back, and he started saying it wasn't like that when the synth laughed at him, "I'm joking with you kid." he said holding the cigarette out to MacCready. MacCready froze for a second before shaking his head.

"Uh no thanks, with all this running I'll wait till we're done." he said, thinking it was a good excuse. Better then you're a synth and I don't know what you might have. _Yeah, but you shared a cigarette with Anne after about this long of knowing her._

The synth shrugged, tossing the cigarette down and stepping on it. The two of them walked out the arch where Anne was standing. She glanced back at them.

"You boys wanna stop?" she asked, her voice dripping in sarcasm.

"I just wanted to see if I could figure out what is so appealing to you girls," the robot said walking past him, "didn't find it." _Appealing?_

Anne laughed, "If you think that's what girls find appealing I got some stuff to teach you Nick." she said.

'I'm right here!" MacCready shouted and Anne and Valentine just laughed at him while following after dogmeat. _Oh great, now I'm a joke._ He huffed chasing after the two.

They started down a bridge, zig-zagging between overturned trucks. It was late now, probably around 2 am he had to guess. It was quiet out, when they weren't fighting. He could hear bugs chirping in the dark, Anne's radio playing Billie Elliot faintly up ahead, and some dogs barking in the distance.

It was then when the familiar groan came. It crawled out form under some brushes, though Anne and Valentine didn't seem to notice as the ghoul crawled out grunting all the way. When MacCready saw ferals something seemed to come over him now, and he without thinking grabbed his rifle. He didn't grab it too shoot it though and as it started pulling itself up, he smashed the but of his rifle into it's skull. The ghoul grunted and fell down and MacCready stomped his boot into it's face, feeling the anger bubble up. _There were so fucking many._

He kicked it twice, and pulled his boot back, with some blood and human bits coming up with it. He looked down at the face, which was now caved in. The ghouls mouth moved a bit still and he lowered his foot once again, crushing the brain. It stopped moving and MacCready sighed looking around. Anne and Valentine just looked at him. Anne looked surprised.

"Get all your anger out kid?" Valentine said. He turned then, walking away towards the dog who was standing there looking at them confused.

"You okay Mac?" Anne looked at him, concern etching her face.

"Yeah I'm fine." he said, feeling his shoulders relax. He didn't like being angry, but ferals made him angry now. Hadn't always done that, but now when he saw ferals they just reminded him of what he was missing. _Lucy._

He walked past her, not wanting to look at her. He could see her face trying to read him, and he didn't want her to know. _I'm just a merc, you don't need to know my story._ Was he thinking that for him or her?

As they walked down the street more ferals came out, and the three of them picked them off easily while Dogmeat would grab them by the legs and pull them down. He really wanted to just start bashing them with his gun, but he knew that if he did that again Anne probably wouldn't let him go unless he explained why ferals pissed him off so much. Instead, he just tried to release his frustration by watching his bullets glide through there distrorted faces.

Once they were all done Dogmeat barked at them and started running away from them. MacCready hung back behind them a bit following them. The anger started disapating with every step away from the ghouls.

 _Did she call me Mac?_


	6. Not a Killer

**AN:** Hope school is going well for everyone, and that everyone, in school or not, is having a good week!

* * *

They had kept following the road, mostly in silence with the radio the only sound. They'd come across some burnt up assaultron and some destroyed robots. Was Kellog doing this all by himself? Assaultrons weren't easy targets, but there was one here, ripped to pieces. He glanced over and Anne who was looking at a chair which had another one of those cigars sitting by it. _Jesus this guy stops a lot._

"Kellogs pretty smart. He's doing everything to keep people off his trail," he said, watching her hold the cigar out to Dogmeat. She grunted in agreement, and stood up, placing the cigar in her pocket as Dogmeat seemed to jump into action and start back down the path.

They, surprise, kept running down the road before Dogmeat veered left, running up some grassy hill. MacCready didn't like the idea of going off the road; on the road, you knew what to expect, super mutants, raiders, ghouls. It was once you started heading out of the large ruins that you ran into things you didn't ever want to see. They ran through a sparse forest for a while, before coming to a fence with bloody rags. _Is he bleeding this much?_

Same as before, dogmeat sniffed it taking off with more fervor up the hill. MacCready could see the sun starting to rise. "Are we finally closing in on this guy or what?" he mumbled, feeling the exhaustion start to hit him, how long had they been awake now?

They ran up the hill, into a small deserted town, making MacCready start to feel more at ease, instantly finding good places for cover. Some bloatflies were on the road, but that was easy work and soon they were making their way up to a large building. They ran up to the door to find it collapsed in. Dogmeat was happy though, he looked proud up at Anne.

Anne crouched, rubbing the dog's neck, "This is the place, he's in here boy?" Dogmeat reached up, licking her face and she pulled back and he heard her say gross under her breath while giggling. MacCready smiled to himself hearing her say that, though not sure why entirely.

"Well, well. Dogmeat must be part bloodhound." MacCready said, and the dog looked up at him and padded over. MacCready rubbed the dog's ears. _Softest part._ Anne looked at the ruined door, examining it and trying to find a way to get in.

"I knew Dogmeat would sniff our man out. Let's you and I take it from here, give those two a break." the synth said and MacCready turned and shook his head.

"She paid me to go where she goes. How the deal works." he crossed his arms, daring the synth to argue. Instead, it just shrugged and started walking away. Dogmeat laid down at the door yawning and closing his eyes.

"Thanks, Mac." she walked past him down the stairs and making her way around the building. _For what?_

He followed behind her, looking around when he heard the whirring he was familiar with, he grabbed her shoulder, pulling it down, "Get down boss."

The turrets started shooting and he looked up, two sitting on the roof. _Shoot._ He hated turrets. They had such a small weak point he usually ended up wasting more ammo then he would on anything else. She pulled out her own rifle.

"Aim for the barrel, if you can slip past it, you hit whatever is in there, and it makes the thing explode." he peaked over the rail they were behind and started shooting.

Took them a minute but the two turrets both exploded in a firey ball. He slung the rifle back over his shoulder and watched her let out a long sigh before continuing on. He'd noticed she'd do that a lot after shooting, she'd let out a long sigh of relieve. _She really wasn't meant for this._

She jumped off where they were to the lower level. MacCready followed behind her, and they made their way into a parking area. Nothing was in here, though he could hear Nick shooting from somewhere behind them. They walked through until they found a set of stairs, leading down. He took the lead here, making his way down before her, rifle drawn.

Instead of something useful they found a small drug den, where the body of a young woman laid in the chair, her face already starting to turn grey and she smelled awful. Anne turned the corner behind him and let out a small gasp. She'd get used to it, dead bodies were just a part of the life now. He started looking around, and Anne started grabbing the drugs and shoving them in the pack she carried on her back. He looked at her confused.

"Thought you weren't into that garbage?" He asked, watching her grab a thing of jet of throw it into her bag.

"She's not going to need it," she said, and he shrugged, looking around. _She's not wrong._

Once she was done they walked down out of a small door. There underneath a red light was a pale blue door. They made their way towards it.

"Should we get Nick?" MacCready asked, looking at her. He could still hear shooting outside.

She shook her head, "I'm not wasting any time." she said, a hardness to her voice he didn't recognize. She opened the door, and they entered a small room, with a set of stairs heading up, and a cart was in front of them with a door behind it. MacCready looked both ways and that at Anne who had pulled her lips back and looked to be thinking. She shot him a look and he shook his head.

"Up to you boss. Where you go I'll follow," he said, watching her eyes dart back and forth between the door and the stairs. _Her eyes are so bright._

MacCready made his way to the door pulling on it, hearing the rattle of chains, "That narrows it down." he said, looking back at her. Anne didn't say anything, just making her way up. There was a resolve hanging on her shoulders now, as if it didn't matter what was in this building, nothing would stop her. _Damn, she's determined._

They were making their way up the stairs when he heard a footstep from above them. He crouched, placing his hand on her shoulder and placed a finger over his lips, glancing up the other set of stairs.

"Is someone present?" a low, mechanical voice rang out from a bit above them. Her eyes went wide and she looked up the stairs. They made their way up the stairs slowly, watching where they stepped and avoiding the glass and cans on the ground. They reached the top and there was a protectron in a case with a terminal beside it. He hated protectrons, they were hard to kill and getting one was a pain the ass. He was ready to keep moving when he saw her creep her way up to the terminal.

 _What's she doing?_

He saw her press a few buttons before letting out a long breath from her nose. The glass doors opened and the protectron stepped out.

"Powering up. Protectron on duty!" the robotic voice rang out, and she started making her way down the stairs. He made his way behind her, and they watched as the Protectron started walking through the floor. A few seconds later he heard something he couldn't make out from a synth, and then a lot of shooting. They waited until it went silent, and then she stood up, making her way slowly through the rest of the floor.

"What did you do?" He asked following behind her, she glanced at him and shrugged.

"Just a bit of hacking, easy enough." She said it as if it was nothing. He shook his head, she was full of surprises.

She was looking around, her rifle drawn and he found himself looking at her face. Her brows were pinched together as she looked around, trying to find any sort of clue. She would constantly pull her lips in, making a thin line with her mouth. She would pick things up, look at them, and sometimes place them in a pocket in her coat, or she would put them back down carefully. She moved oddly, every move was careful like she was afraid of disturbing something he couldn't see. He watched her hands move over an alarm clock that was sitting on a desk. Her fingers ran over the bumps and grooves, and she was running her thumb over the clock face. Her fingers moved with precision, like someone sewing.

He was pulled out by an explosion that came from nearby and he instantly started moving in that direction. She was frozen, the alarm clock still in her hand. He made his way past her, stepping carefully and shaking his head to try and clear it. _Why do I keep staring?_

The protectron laid on the ground, a shell of its former self, and a synth laid beside it, some weird static noise coming out of its mouth. MacCready kicked the protectron, hearing Anne come up behind him. He made his way through the small break in the wall and entered a room that went right and then a doorway in front of him. Anne started picking through the synth, looking for Ammo and he made his way through the doorway. There was a small ruined room, with bookshelves that had fallen over. He looked around before hearing the whirring of a turret to his right. He glanced over, seeing the barrel pointing at him.

 _Crap._

He dove to his left, out of the turrets line of sight and waited for it to quit shooting before he ran towards it. He had just gotten there and kicked the machine over, watching it flail and try to recalibrate on the ground. Before it had a chance he ran up and shot down the barrel through the small gap, and the machine blew up. He covered his face as the shrapnel flew. A few specks hit him, but nothing to do any damage. He lowered his arm and sighed to himself and turned around, bumping into Anne who was looking at the damaged turret behind him.

"He's got this place heavily guarded," she said moving her eyes up to MacCready.

 _God damn her eyes are bright._

He nodded, "If he's got synths means he's working with the institute." he said looking around the ruined room and then back down at her. _She's awfully close._ He noticed that there were maybe 2 inches between them. He took a step back.

"Oh that's great," she muttered, turning around and making her way through the room, her rifle still in her hands. He followed behind her, as they made their way through the room.

"Intruder in Fort Hagen. Eliminating hostile." came a robotic voice from ahead of them, he didn't have time to wedge himself between her and the next room before she came out, and as she did a beam of blue shot past her. MacCready watched her turn, quickly raising her rifle and firing at what he assumed was a synth to his right. She shot a couple times and took a hit to her leg, which made her wince a bit. But he heard the synth's body hit the floor, and she stepped forward into the room. He came up behind her and around the corner came another synth. She crouched out of his way, but still holding up her rifle. MacCready brought his weapon up, and the two of them fired at the synth. It managed to hit MacCready in the arm, and Anne took a shot to the knee and she dropped to the ground. It fell as she pulled herself up, turning to him; her knee was bleeding.

"You're bleeding," she said, pointing at his arm. He looked over. Yep, he was bleeding.

"I'll be fine. You've taken two shots though." he pointed at her knee. She looked down and shrugged.

"I'll be fine, once my leg goes out I'll grab a stimpak." she said, turning around again and making her way down the hall the synth had come from. The rest of their trip went like this. She was in front now, leading them down the hall, and when they approached enemies she crouched so he could shoot over her. After a while, she started to look pretty beat up. She wasn't getting hit often, but when she was she was getting hit hard.

"Okay boss, take a stimpak, you have enough." she looked at him and sighed. She slowly pulled a stimpak out of her pack and looked down at the needle.

"Would you do it," she asked, holding it out to him. He froze looking down at the stimpak and then back at her.

"Why?" he took the stimpak and she pulled the sleeve up on her left arm, showing some pale flesh above her pipboy.

"I don't like needles," she said, looking away. He nodded, wondering how long it would take for her to get over that. MacCready inserted the needle, hearing her take a long hiss through her teeth. and he injected the liquid into her body, watching as her veins seemed to become more visible for a brief second. He placed his hand over where he had injected the needle, putting pressure on the spot so it wouldn't bruise. It only needed a few seconds, it would heal quick enough, but he'd learned from experience it was better to be safe rather than sorry. _Her skins soft._

He tossed the needle on the ground and then pulled his hands away, wiping his hands on his coat.

"You had a baby didn't you?" he asked, watching as she pulled her sleeve over the pale flesh and let out a long sigh.

"Yeah I did, didn't take any needles. It sucked." she said shaking her head and turned around, continuing on their path. Why would someone have needles when they had a baby? When you had a baby while on med-x most of the time the med-x would get to the baby and it would die. Lucy had a sister who had lost a baby that way, and her own life as well. _Man the past was weird._

They made their way to an elevator where to their right was a chained up door. He pulled the chain down and watched her look at some terminal. She tapped a few buttons before grunting angrily and making her way to the elevator. She slammed her finger into a button, and he watched the doors open. She stepped into the cramped space.

"You coming?" She asked, leaning against the wall.

"Oh yeah," he said following her in. He entered and was facing her in this tiny elevator. She leaned past him, brushing past his arm and pressing a button. She leaned back against the wall and MacCready moved towards the door, trying to create space between them.

"You ready to find this guy?" he asked, looking at her. She was fiddling with her belt.

"No. I mean...yeah I'm ready to find my son but I've never...killed a person." she said softly, looking down at her shoes.

 _Ahh. "_ You have to remember in those situations you have no other choice. You can't reason with some people." he said turning away from her and facing the door.

"I was a lawyer you know." she sighed from behind him, he could hear her moving her feet.

"A what?" he asked, looking at his fingernails. _The dirt is just a part of me now I guess._

"Not a killer. Nate was the army man," she sighed, "he's the one who should be here." she said softly, under her breath. MacCready looked over her shoulder at her.

"Boss don't say that." he said looking back at the door. _Was that the right thing to say?_

She didn't respond, and the elevator came to a halt. The doors opened and MacCready made his way out, mulling over what he had said. They walked down a hallway, another chained door, which MacCready pulled off. He opened the door and glanced down it. The door to the outside. _Good an easy way back._ He continued his way down the hall before a synth came out of a doorway. He raised his gun but before he could fire he felt a shock of electricity and heard crackling. He jumped back, bumping into Anne. A Tesla coil was flailing out electricity in every direction, looking for something to hit.

"Shoot," he muttered before seeing a blue beam fly past his head. He ducked. The synth had spotted them, now shooting. He raised his rifle, and let out a shot taking out one of the knees. As his bullet entered another bullet entered the synths chest and it hit the ground, still moving. He sighed, looking behind him at Anne who stood a bit behind him, lowering her rifle.

He looked back, the Tesla coil had stopped but now there was a turret he hadn't noticed before, and it fired at them. He took a hit to the shin and fell, raising his rifle and grunting. It kept firing, skimming his left arm and burning his skin. He fired, his bullets hitting the body of the turret. More shots rang out from above him. The Turret eventually took enough damage that it exploded and the hall went quiet. MacCready sighed, pulling himself up. Shaking his leg. It hurt, but it was manageable.

"You got a purified water?" he asked, looking at Anne. She nodded pulling one out of her pack and she handed it to him. He cracked the tab, downing it in 3 gulps. He crushed the can in his hand and tossed it over his shoulder.

"Thanks, boss." she nodded, her gun still in her hands. He continued his way down, stopping when she did picking through the synths for ammo. He glanced down the doors on the left, and then at the end was a weapon bench. He walked up to it, taking a look around. He had found a small pack of ammo when he heard her grunt. He looked at her, in her hands was a cooler.

"What are you doing?" he asked, and she placed it beside him on the bench.

"It's locked. Somethings in here," she said pulling a bobby pin and screwdriver from her pocket. She placed them in the keyhole and started slowly fiddling it, before it clicked, opening for her. In it was a bottle of buff out and a stimpak, which she took and placed in her pack.

"Where'd you learn to pick locks?" he asked, trying to hide the admiration in his voice.

"Told you, I was a bad kid. Used to sneak into my parent's liquor cabinet," she said looking up at him placing the bobby pin and screwdriver back in her pocket.

"Could you teach me?" he asked, feeling disbelief wash over him. _Stealing, hacking, lock picking. Never expected this from her._

She laughed and moved her way past him, back into the hallway, "Once this is all over."

 _She has a nice laugh._

They made their way past the ruined turret, and she raised her rifle quickly. He saw the bullet exit the barrel, the casing flying past him, the bullet entering a synth's head that was running up the stairs, a baton in it's hand.

"Dam-dang boss. You're really getting the hang of this." she glanced back at him, smiling. He felt a weird sense of pride seeing how well she was getting.

"I didn't even use VATS that time," she said and started walking down the stairs where the synth had come from. MacCready let out a chuckle and followed her down the stairs.


	7. He wishes

**AN:** Hope everyone is having a good week! Sorry if my editing isn't great this week, I have a horrible cold so trying to edit this hurts my head. Anyways, enjoy, and have a good week!

* * *

They got to the bottom of the stairs when a voice came over the intercom.

"If it isn't my old friend, frozen TV dinner. Last time we met you were cozying up to the peas and apple cobbler." Anne froze her eyes going wide. MacCready saw the fear hit her face like she was remembering what he was talking about. _Seeing her husband shot._

It was only a second but she started moving again, her face returning to the hard look that had been on it while they walked. She opened a door and tesla coil whipped her with a lash of electricity. She didn't seem to notice, instead raising her rifle at it, as it licked her again across the arm. She fired at it, and the Tesla coil fell down, rolling down the stairs, the electricity still trying to escape.

She turned to her left, rifling through some draws at a desk grabbing some grenades from the top of it. He saw her posture had changed. She looked tense.

"That's Kellog I take it?" he asked. She nodded saying nothing, pulling out her bobby pin and screwdriver, opening up an ammo container. She reached in taking 5.57 ammo and tossing a pack at him. She looked like a ghost, like she wasn't fully there. Anne walked past him, making her way down the stairs. _Do I say something?_

Down the stairs was a turret, which grazed her side but she didn't make any sounds, just raising her rifle. MacCready followed suit, shooting at the turret until a lucky shot slid its way between the barrel and the hull, causing the machine to explode. She continued down the hall, her pace hurrying.

She opened another door and the voice spoke up, "Sorry your house has been a wreck for two hundred years. But I don't need a roommate. Leave." The voice commanded over the speaker. She didn't seem to care though, and he saw her pull open a heavy blue door in front of her. He grabbed it holding it open for her. She didn't even seem to notice and stepped into the next room.

There were old control panels and skeletons in this room, but she didn't seem to notice, walking past them, her rifle clenched tightly in her hands. She made her way around a caged area, not even peaking inside. _Oh, she's pissed._

"Hmph. Never expected you to come knocking on my door. Gave you 50/50 odds making it to Diamond city. After that? Figured the commonwealth would chew you up like jerky." rang down the halls, booming down at them. Her jaw clenched.

 _You figured wrong._ He watched her make her way down some stairs. At the bottom was an open door, where a synth looked at them. MacCready raised his gun.

"Duck boss," he said, and she did crouching and raising her own rifle. MacCready was faster though, shooting the synth through the eye and it fell backward the words engaging still coming out of its mouth. Anne led the way as they pushed forward, crouching whenever synths would show up and the two of them made quick work of them. They made their way to the door at the end, where she tried to open it. Didn't budge and she swore under breath before turning around and walking past MacCready.

 _She's not even looking at me. Like I'm not here._ She was focused.

They made a left, entering descending some stairs where she shot down a turret, a synth turned the corner and MacCready shot its legs out from under it, leaving it on the floor writhing.

"Look. You're pissed off. I get it, I do. But whatever you hope to accomplish in here? It's not going to go your way." MacCready scoffed at that. It seemed like nothing at this point hadn't gone her way, and here she tearing her way through this place. He was just encouraging her.

She turned left where a turret in the ceiling started shooting rapidly at her, and he saw it hit her shoulder. She started shooting at it, and a synth came out of a room on their right. He turned his rifle shooting it through the neck, it kept coming at him though, but it fired at Anne's head, and he saw it make contact with her ear, singeing some of her hair.

"Fuck." he heard her mutter, turning her aim to the synth, shooting the gun out of its hand. MacCready turned his attention to the turret, shooting it down the barrel hearing the turret click and then explode. He glanced over at the synth, who now was missing a large chunk of its head, but was still running at them. MacCready fired at it, hitting it in the shoulder. The Synth fell over then, it's body thudding into the ground. MacCready sighed, looking at Anne who was still cursing with her hand over her ear.

"Let me have a look he said, throwing his rifle over his shoulder. She held her hair back, showing her ear to him. The top was already starting to have blisters form.

"It's burned pretty bad, I can stimpak it if you want," he asked, noticing her neck now, seeing the veins pressing against the flesh. He stared at her skin, then remember the mirror, his own ears now burning up he took a step back.

She shook her head, "I'll be fine, let's keep going. I can deal with it once we're done here." she said tucking the loose strands of hair around her face behind her ear. She let out a hiss between her teeth and then continued down the hall. There was a set of blue doors on their right, which she opened and looked around. She walked in, opening the first aid kit. He didn't see what she grabbed, turning his attention down the hall, the red from his ears now descending to his face.

 _He'd never seen anything as otherworldly as her._

He shook his head, this was not the time or place to be thinking about that. Even then, this was the woman who had hired him who had been crying last night about her dead husband. _And what about Lucy._ He gritted his teeth

She came out of the room, walking towards him, her eyes going past him down the hall. She opened the door on her left, walking in and just glancing around.

"Oh sweet," she said walking into the kitchen and picking up a bobblehead. She placed it in her pack.

"What's with you vault dwellers and bobbleheads?" he said leaning against the door frame. She looked back at him.

"My dad collected them. He died right before the bombs dropped...left them to me but I hadn't been able to bring them home yet," she was fixing the strap on her pack and then walking past him, and back out in the hall, "In retrospect he was lucky, he didn't see the world go to shit." she said a weird tone underneath her voice, not sadness, or jealousy, something he couldn't put his finger on. He followed her as she started going down the other set of stairs when two synths ran out. Anne crouched a few steps ahead of him. He took out the one behind the first, hitting it square between the eyes. He could see her raise the rifle, jamming it into the jaw of the synth and firing, it's head exploding in a burst of white and metal. The synths fell, and they walked through the door on the left that the synths had come through.

"You've got guts and determination, and that's admirable. But you are in over your head in ways you can't possibly comprehend." came from over the speakers, more synths came running at them, but at this point, they had a strategy, she crouched and he shot over her. He fired into its chest, and Anne fired right after him, and the first synths head blew half away. MacCready fired once more, knocking the other half of the head and the first synth fell. Anne had already fired into the second synth, with two large holes in its chest. A blue beam hit the ground by MacCready's feet and he let out a shot into the synths shoulder, and its arm went flying knocking the synth behind it down. Anne fired once more, and the shot entered the synths chest, and it fell backward, knocking the other synth down. Anne ran up to it before MacCready could blink and she fired 3 shots into the synth on the ground. She glanced back at MacCready, the synths laying at her feet.

"It's not too late. Stop. Turn around and leave. You have that option. Not a lot of people can say that." the two of them walked up a small flight of stairs to an open door a turret came out of the ceiling and he raised his gun shooting it twice and it fell from the roof.

"He's getting scared. Wouldn't be begging you to leave if he wasn't." MacCready said following her. She hummed in agreement, not seeming to be paying attention as much.

There was a locked door in front of them she didn't even seem to notice it, and then she made her way to the right down a hallway. They entered a few rooms, he looked around the room, examining the objects while Anne found a terminal and hacked it. The turret came down and he heard synths down the hallway notice the turret. In a few seconds, the turret started firing, and he could hear the synths shooting. The turret made quick work, and soon there was silence once again. Anne walked back to the terminal and pressed a few buttons and he heard the turret go back into the ceiling. She walked out of the room and into the hall.

 _I really need to learn how to do that._

They got to the end of the hall where a small what appeared to be a living room. She riffled through a few things before opening the red door.

There was a bedroom there, and MacCready saw the bed and almost was ready to just collapse on it. There were clean tables, and chairs around the room, making a desk and a few tables.

"Okay, you made it. I'm just up ahead. My synths are standing down. Let's talk." Anne looked back at him, and he could now see the exhaustion on her face as well.

"You got this boss," he said and sat down on the bed. She sat beside him, putting her rifle on her lap. She placed her face in her hands.

"I'm so tired," she muttered, through her hands and he sighed.

"I hear you, but we're right there boss. We get this basta-but head and you'll sleep better then you have in a long time," he said pulling a cigarette out.

"I'm just tired of all of this," she mumbled. He lit his cigarette and looked down at her from the corner of his eye.

"You gotta keep going boss." he inhaled and handed her the cigarette. He didn't have to watch her, he could hear the crackle of the cigarette as she inhaled. They sat there in silence, passing the cigarette back and forth. At one point his hand bumped into her own, and he quickly pulled away. His ears started turning red.

 _It was just her hand._ She held the cigarette out and he shook his head. "No you can finish it," he mumbled rubbing his eyes.

"While this is not what I expected." came a voice that sounded like it was full of marbles. MacCready looked up at Valentine who was walking in.

"Hey, Nick," Anne said, snuffing the cigarette out on the ground.

"If you guys wanted to be alone you could've let me know." Macready felt his ears start to turn and he coughed looking down hiding his face. He felt the bed beside him shift as Anne stood up.

"He wishes," _Excuse me?_ "Sorry Nick, I didn't want to waste time and didn't know where you were. How'd you find us?" she asked, now starting to look around the room, her bobby pin and screwdriver in her hand.

"There was a trail of dead synths all the way here, wasn't hard kid." MacCready looked up around, seeing Anne cracking open something and placing some stuff in her pack.

"He's just past this room Nick," Anne said softly, MacCready looked between them.

"What are we waiting for then? You got a son waiting for you." the synth said, its yellow eyes now fixed on her.

She looked back at MacCready, and he saw the fear in her eyes. He smiled weakly at her, "You gotta do it, boss, no one else can."

She let out a long sigh and stretched, making her way towards the closed door. MacCready stood up, though not wanting to.

She opened the door, Valentine, and MacCready behind her, following her up a red set of stairs.


	8. Where you go I follow

**AN** : Trigger warning. This is a very violent chapter. Have a good week everyone.

* * *

They walked in the dark room, and MacCready felt twitchy, and then around the corner of a desk was movement, hands up. Synths came out with him. MacCready saw at least 6, but he could tell there were more.

"And there she is, the most resilient woman in the commonwealth." He was bald with a black beard, and a long scar down his face. Looked exactly like someone who would steal a kid. He was big though, and MacCready kept his sights trained on him, but the man didn't seem to notice him. She approached him slowly, her gun pointed at his head. He lowered his hands, looking relaxed. That just made MacCready angrier.

"You came a long way, let's hear it," he said almost like he was joking, not seeming the least bit intimidated.

"Enough! Just...where is my baby." there was a pleading in her voice, maybe she didn't realize it, but MacCready did, and if he did, Kellog definitely did. That was bad.

"Hmph. Lady, I'm just a puppet like you. My stage is a little bigger, that's all." he said that and MacCready could hear the cockiness in his voice. This was a joke to him. MacCready ground his teeth. _You have a woman who had her baby taken, and you're here joking._

"Shaun's a good kid. So maybe he's not quite a 'baby' anymore. But he's doing great. Only he's not here. He's with the people holding the strings." He could see her eyes go wide, and her shoulders tensed. _We came all this way...for nothing._

"Goddamn it, you mercenary motherfucker. Where. Is. My. Son?" he hadn't heard her curse like that, she was pissed. Kellog just laughed.

"What's the cliche? So close, but yet so far away? That's Shaun," He was playing with her, this was cruel, "But don't worry. You'll die knowing he's safe and happy. A bit older than you expected, but ah well. At least he's in a loving home. The Institute." MacCready looked at the synths who had their guns trained on them. He could take out three, but he was waiting for her to shoot first. Hopefully, that didn't get him killed. _Her son. He's in the institute. He's gone._

"The Institute? Well, I'll find him, no matter where he is. Nothing will stop me." the words came out like venom, and MacCready was now glancing at Nick, who had his own gun raised. _God damn, she is driven._ He admired that.

"God, you're persistent. I give you credit. It's the way a parent should act. The way I'd be acting if I were in your place, I like to think. Even if it is useless." another 3 synths came out from behind him. He counted at least 14 now.

"But I think we've been talking long enough. We both know how this has to end. So you ready?" Kellog leaned back, now both hands on the pistol in his hands. _Come on let me shoot this sack of shit._

"In a hundred years, when I finally die, I only hope I go to hell so I can kill you all over again, you piece of shit." she spat out, the hatred in her voice. He had to admire what she said though, he probably would've told him to go fuck himself, she got creative.

She shot first, and both the bullets made contact with Kellogs head, but it did nothing, the bullets appeared crumpled up against his head. MacCready didn't have time to think. _This is her fight._ He turned his sights on the synth to his right, which was pulling the trigger. MacCready pulled faster, shooting out its arm, and the gun flying away and the beam went way over MacCready's head. He felt something hit his side, a burning sensation in his ribs. He ignored it ran up to the synth, bashing the but of his gun into the things...skull? _Is it a skull?_ The thing fell backward and he pulled his rifle back, aiming it to his left. He didn't look at the synth he was shooting at, but he saw it running at him from the corner of his eye. As he fired he turned his body to face it, and his bullet made contact with its belly, it kept running and he reloaded, stepping backward. It fired at his legs, and his thigh got hit and he grunted, raising his rifle and shooting it in the head. Its face came off, revealing a horrific metallic frame.

"Oh Jesus," he muttered firing again. It knocked out one of its eyes and it went flying back. Behind him he heard more shooting, Nick yelling stuff, and MacCready pushed forward, shooting down synths that got in his way.

He got moved forward and a synth came from around the corner, a baton lowering on his head. It made contact and MacCready's teeth clamped together. He instinctively shot his foot out, kicking the synth in the chest. The synth fell backward and MacCready let out a shot into its head. He was about to move forward when he felt something burn his back. He turned quickly seeing a synth standing there, and MacCready was about to shoot when he saw the beam go flying from the synth. It mostly missed but made contact with his shoulder. He winced when the Synth's head exploded.

He didn't think he just turned back around. He looked to the left down a small gap in the cubicles and there was a synth. It hadn't seen him and was firing down. He raised his rifle and fired, hitting the synth in the neck. It turned its face, which was already missing the white cover and showed the metal frame.

"Quit doing that," he muttered, firing again and the bullet slipping past the metal frame and the Synths neck snapped back. He heard shouting from behind him, but he ignored it and continued on his path. Another synth came from around a corner, and he could hear more firing up ahead along with shouting. The synth had a baton and was running up, the baton over its head. He moved his body to the left as the synth was bringing the baton down, and it stumbled past him. As it went by he slammed the gun into its head and he heard a satisfactory crack. He turned back, he was almost where he had heard the shooting, but it had gone quiet now.

 _Don't like that._

He was almost at the corner when something jumped on his back, "Ah!" He shouted swung his elbow back, nailing the synth in the rib...did it have ribs? He could feel its arms wrapping around his throat, and he had to laugh at that. This thing had no idea what it was doing. The synth said something and he ignored it, moving his arms so the gun was in its stomach. He pulled the trigger, and the synth let go. He turned and it was stumbling backward, a hole in its stomach. He fired again, making a second hole just a few inches above the first. The synth didn't seem to notice and was about to run at him again when he fired one last shot, hitting the synths chest. It fell forwards and MacCready turned back to where the shooting had been.

He made his way around the final corner, and there was Kellog, dead on the ground and Anne was smashing her boot into him, saying the same thing over and over again.

"You killed Nate."

She just kept kicking and MacCready stood there for a minute dumbstruck before he realized what was happening. _She's losing it._

He ran up to her grabbing her, pulling her away from the body and she shouted at him.

"Get the Fuck off me!" she elbowed him in the stomach and MacCready grunted but didn't let go, pulling the writhing woman away. As he pulled her she started calming down and by the time he got her away the bullets had stopped firing and she had stopped yelling. Nick ran around the corner and Anne turned to face them. MacCready placed his hands on her shoulders.

"He's dead boss," and she looked up at him, rage behind the green, "bashing his skull in is going to nothing but wreck your knees. Trust me" he took his hands off her shoulders and she took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She held it for a few seconds before exhaling it and opening her eyes again.

MacCready turned towards Nick, "I'll search his body you uh...keep her away from him." he said stepping around them and making his way to Kellogs body. He flipped it over and looked at him.

His nose was crushed in, but other than that he looked the same. He started going through his pocket, finding a terminal password and grabbed it. He placed it in his pocket and looked at Kellog closer. He could see something faintly sticking out of Kellogs skull.

 _What the hell is that?_

He pulled a knife from his belt and dragged the knife over the bulge, and he dug his fingers in. O _h god, this is disgusting._ He looked at what was in his hand. It was some metal chip with some brain on it, that had been in this man. He reached down grabbing the revolver from his hand.

 _This gun killed Anne's husband._ He looked at it. He walked his way over to Anne, who was trying to hack into the terminal. He tapped her shoulder holding out the password.

"I think you need this," he said, and Anne looked at him and mumbled thanks, she was turning away when he stopped her.

"Wait." she stopped and looked at him. He held out Kellogs revolver.

"I think it's only right you had this." she took it and looked at the gun and looked back up at him.

"Thanks," she said softly placing the revolver in her bag she turned back to the terminal. He sat down on the other end of the desk. _Let's get this done so I can go to sleep._

She read through the information, "There's nothing here." she said softly and leaned back rubbing her face.

MacCready dug in his pocket, pulling out the bloody chip, "I don't know what this is, but I found it in Kellogs head." Nick walked up, noticing the chip.

" That man is almost more synth then human, and that piece looks awfully familiar. Give me a while, I think I can find a way that we can read that," he looked around the room, "I don't think there's any reason for us to stay here. We should head back to Diamond city, you two can get some rest, I'll see what I can dig up for this chip." he said looking between the two of them. MacCready stood up and yawned.

"That sounds fantastic," he said looking down at Anne, "What do you think boss?" she grunted in reply and stood up. Valentine started walking up the stairs out of the room.

"Thanks for pulling me off him Mac," she said softly as she walked past him and MacCready shrugged.

"I know what it's like boss," he said and she looked back at him. _I said too much._

They walked out if the room, full of, mostly, robotic bodies. Valentine was walking ahead of them, now that they were done the exhaustion had hit them hard. They walked up to an elevator and all 3 of them squished themselves into it. MacCready leaned his head against the wall closing his eyes. It was only for a minute but the elevator came to a halt and the 3 of them walked out, to a locked door with a terminal beside it. Anne dragged herself up to it and opened the door. They stepped outside, the light of the day burning MacCreadys tired eyes. He looked up, a giant ship flying through the air. _Is that...Is that the brotherhood of steel?_ Vertabirds flew beside it.

The three of them just stood there, looking at it. "Son of a...it's the goddamn brotherhood of steal. What the hell are they doing here." MacCready breathed, looking up at the ship in the sky.

"PEOPLE OF THE COMMONWEALTH. DO NOT INTERFERE. OUR INTENTIONS ARE PEACEFUL. WE ARE THE BROTHERHOOD OF STEEL."

Nothing said peaceful like a giant military convoy.

The ship drifted through the sky, "Deep into the darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing." Valentine breathing out as he stared up at the Prydwen. _Oh no, he's gone haywire._

Anne looked at Valentine, "Thoughts?"

"Flying that ship into the heart of the commonwealth? Mark my words, the brotherhood's here to start a war." MacCready nodded at that, Anne looked at him, wanting to hear what he had to say MacCready chuckled.

"Did you see the size of that airship? Now that's how you make an entrance." Valentine scoffed beside him. Last time he'd seen the brotherhood They had just started building that thing. He had only been here for 9 months and in that time they had completed that ship

They made their way down from the roof, Anne whistling and Dogmeat running over to them barking happily and then jumping on her and licking her face.

"Guess your jobs done kid," Valentine said, looking back at MacCready who blinked.

"We can talk about it tomorrow, can we please just go to sleep." Anne cut in, looking at the two of them pleadingly. MacCready looked at Valentine and then Anne.

"Where you go I follow." she smiled at that and turned around with Dogmeat at her heals.


	9. She might be what you need

**AN:** Thank you for all the reviews, everyone! I really do appreciate and enjoy the feedback! It's nice to know people like the story, I thought I was taking to long but people seem to enjoy the slow burn! Hope everyone is enjoying the fall and school or work is going well! Enjoy the next chapter guys and have a good week!

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They walked for hours, making it to Diamond City mid-day. The walk was mostly quiet, with only feral dogs, bloatflies, and feral ghouls occasionally coming across their path. Anne and himself were so tired that they're aiming was off, but Valentine made up for their failures. Once they got to Diamond City they parted ways; Valentine left to go to his agency, and Anne walked ahead of MacCready. Her shoulders were slumped, and her feet seemed to drag a bit. He imagined he looked about the same. She turned and looked at him.

"Do you know any places?" She mumbled, her eyes barely staying open.

"Yeah, I know a place. Follow me," he said taking the lead and heading towards the Dugout Inn, he could hear Anne walking behind him as they made their way through the roads before coming to a familiar building. He walked in smelling the smoke in the air. MacCready looked at Anne and smiled at her half asleep face.

"Oh man, I love this place. Vadim is a character," he said turning and making his way to the bar where Vadim stood. He knew Vadim from when he was a teenager, he'd helped him move to the commonwealth from the Capital Wasteland a few years ago with Lucy, and seeing him always made MacCready happy, no matter how exhausted he was.

Vadim was wiping down the bar, "Vadim! Still killing people with your moonshine?" Vadim's head popped up and he scanned the room before his eyes fell on MacCready.

"MacCready! Is good to see you, tovarisch. How is Lucy? She still as beautiful as I remember?" MacCready's face fell. Of course, he mentioned Lucy. Thankfully Anne was half asleep she probably didn't pick up what Vadim was saying.

"No...she didn't make it Vadim." Now Vadims face fell, the smile quickly dissapearing and his eyes filled with sorrow.

"I'm sorry, mouth tends to be faster than brain," Vadim turned grabbing a bottle of a shelf and started pouring it it into two glasses, "Tell you what, I give you a drink on the house, for old times."

MacCready made his way to the bar and smiled weakly at Vadim. _Ah, he's pouring vodka. Of course, it's Vodka._ "Thanks. You were always a stand up kind of guy, Vadim," he picked his drink up "Let's drink." he was raising it to his mouth when he saw Vadims drink held out. MacCready clinked his glass against Vadims.

"To Lucy." Vadim said, giving MacCready a sad smile.

"To Lucy." MacCready said softly, swigging the drink back. He slammed the glass down and opened his mouth, trying to get the burning taste out and Vadim chuckled taking the glass. MacCready turned seeing Anne sitting on a couch looking half asleep. He went up to her tapping her shoulder.

"Come on Boss." she looked up, at him and shook her head and stood up following him towards Yefim. Anne moved infront of him and started speaking to Yefim, who leaned against the wall smoking a cigarette.

"I'd like to rent a room," Anne said tiredly. Yefim looked at her and then at MacCready.

"10 caps," Yefim said, taking a drag on the cigarette.

Anne reached in her pocket pulling out a bag and grabbing 10 caps. She placed them in Yefims hand who counted them. He looked back up.

"You're in room 2, Just through the door." Anne nodded walking past him and MacCready followed, nodding at Yefim who nodded back. _What do those two think?_

They walked in the room, which was large. There was no couch, and there was one small bed in the corner.

"I can take the floor." he said shutting the door. Anne was already on the bed, pulling her boots off, and undoing her belt.

"We're both adults Mac. We can sleep on the bed together it's not big deal." she mumbled, her belt coming off and her coat falling in a crumped mess of the floor. She laid on the bed, and MacCready blinked. Watching her curl up in a small ball.

"Boss it's okay, I ca-" he started saying before hearing a long sigh.

"Either we both sleep on the bed or we both sleep on the floor." she said, her eyes closed. She was pressed right against the wall, trying to leave enough room for the both of them. _It'll be a tight fit._

MacCready sighed sitting down on the bed. He pulled his cap off and ran his hand through his hair and taking off his coat and he pulled his boots off and laid down beside her. The bed was tiny they were pressed together and as tired as he was he couldn't fall asleep. She was laying her side, facing the wall, and he laid on his back, his left arm tucking itself behind his head.

"Hey boss?" he said softly, looking at the cracked ceiling.

"Hmm." she purred, her breathing slow.

"Why'd you call me Mac."

"Yournamestoolong" came a mumbled reply. _Oh._

He laid there for a bit, uncomfortably aware of how close she was too him. He could hear her breathing, slow and long. The breathing on someone fast asleep. He rolled over on his side, pushing himself near the edge of the bed. There was a gap now, not a big one, but a gap he wasn't touching her anymore.

He could see the curve of her body, her neck exposed as she laid on her side, and her hair puddled underneath her head. He forced his eyes closed and tried to focus on sleep.

 _When's the last time I've been in bed with a woman?_ He thought, his mind drifting off. Two months ago? About? He'd been in the third rail and some woman had come in and asked for help, her ex had been stalking her. They went to the guys house, and he'd beaten him up telling him to leave her alone. It was only when he was dropping her off that she told him he had no money. _But I'm sure I can find some way to show you my gratitude._ That was why he had started only taking payment up front. She'd come back, asking for his help again, but he'd turn her down. She had seemed insulted.

 _Wasn't a bad night though._ He thought, reminiscing about it.

"Please," came a soft whisper and his eyes opened, "Don't." Anne was talking in her sleep. Sounded like a nightmare.

"Nate please." she whimpered. _Yeah, a nightmare._

He reached out slowly, placing his hand on her shoulder. When his hand made contact she let out a soft moan, and he almost pulled away. _Her skins so soft._ He kept his hand there, closing his eyes again.

What he'd done with...what's her name, could he do that with Anne? I mean she had insisted on them sharing a bed. _Why am I thinking of this?_ No, definently not. She clearly still missed her husband, and not only that he didn't want to sleep with someone had had to continue a relationship with. That girl, had been a fling. Anne...was a...friend? Maybe?

He was mulling it over when he fell asleep.

He woke up a while later, opening his eyes to her face right in his. He nearly rolled off the bed. She must've rolled over in her sleep. His arm draped over her shoulder, and her arms were curled up between them. He pulled his arm away and sat up, rubbing his eyes. He wasn't sure what time it was, but he grabbed his hat, pulling it over his head. _Never felt comfortable with my head exposed._ He pulled his coat on, then his boots. He stood up from the bed stretching before looking down at Anne, who was still sleeping. His hand brushed her hair out of her face before he realized it was doing that. He pulled his hand back quickly, and grabbed his rifle, slinging it over his shoulder. He probably didn't need the rifle, he knew that, but he never went without it.r He walked out the door.

He made his way past Yefim, "She's still sleeping in there." he said as he walked by, Yefim nodded and MacCready walking to the bar and sat down, Vadim looked up at him. There were a few people at the bar, but the place was mostly empty now.

"Ah you're awake," Vadim said, grabbing a bottle of whisky and started pouring him a glass and handed it to MacCready.

"Yeah, we had a rough couple of days. We hadn't slept in ages," he said sipping his drink.

"Yefim told me you went in there with a woman?" Vadim asked, looking at him, a smirk on his face.

"I'm working for her," MacCready said, finishing the drink and pushing it towards Vadim who poured him another.

"Is that what your calling it now, " Vadim chuckled, MacCready shaking his head, "You willing to introduce us?"

"She's off the Market." he said into his drink, taking a sip. Vadim laughed, "What time is it?" He asked, looking up at Vadim.

"It's about 1 am. You slept for a long time. You still got the room till morning though." he said giving MacCready a long side glance.

MacCready finished his second drinking pushing it towards Vadim again. He filled it and MacCready took it back.

"Probably have a few of these and go back to sleep.," he said, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it. He took a drag and took a long sip of his drink.

"You know MacCready, If I had a woman that beautiful in my room, sleeping would be the last thing on my mind." Vadim said leaning over the bar and taking the cigarette from MacCreadys hands, taking a puff. MacCready looked at him and rolled his eyes.

"Great idea Vadim, I'll go fu-sleep with my boss. Great way to make sure she hires me back." he finished his drink, and Vadim poured another. MacCready took his cigarette back.

"I mean, I don't know about you, but for me, yeah. That's a sure way for me to get hired again." Vadim laughed. MacCready looked up at him and shook his head.

"So can I ask...what exactly happened?" Vadim said softly, leaning in on the bar.

MacCready shook his head taking a long drag, "We were in the wrong place at the wrong time. There were too many ferals...I had to run with our son. All I could do to protect him." MacCready said, realizing the alcohol was starting to take affect. _I should've checked the place more thoroughly, I was tired and got lazy, and Lucy died because of it._

"I'm so sorry tovarisch. Losing a love is hard, and Lucy was to good to go out that way...what a damn shame." Vadim said, and MacCready finished his drink. He was still considering having another when Vadim took the glass and filled it.

"I didn't know you had a son. Tell me about him." Vadim handed the drink back, and MacCready put his cigarette out.

"He's a good kid, he's about 3, turning 4 in 2 months. He likes running, and playing with our dog. We were on our farm, and he got sick. He started getting these boils...It was so bad Vadim...I left and came here hoping to find a cure," he said looking down in his drink, "There's one in Med-tek apparently, but I haven't been able to find anyone to come with me. If I do it alone it's a suicide mission, I tried." he said taking a long swig. _And if I die there that cure stays there._

"Ah, if I was younger MacCready I'd go with you in a second but I'm old now, I'd just weigh you down," Vadim rubbed his chin, "What about that 'boss'?" he said. MacCready looked up.

"What about her?" he asked, finishing the drink, Vadim went to pour anther but MacCready shook his head.

"You could ask her couldn't you?" he said leaning against the counter.

MacCready blinked. _Hadn't even thought of that._ "Yeah, I could...I mean I've only known her three days."

Vadim laughed, "You're the man who proposed to Lucy after a month aren't you." he said looking down at MacCready. MacCready smiled sheepishly.

"When you find a woman like Lucy you don't let yourself miss out on that chance." he said thinking back to that day. Hadn't planned it or anything, she'd been just out there picking some herbs and the way the sun had hit her he realized how much he loved her and he blurted it out. _And she said yes._

Vadim shook his head, "What I'm trying to say is that she might be what you need." Vadim said yawning and stretching. MacCready looked at the clock behind him. It was almost 2.

"Maybe. I'll think about it. You go to bed Vadim, I'm going to head back to my room, get a few more hours of shut eye." he said, standing up from the bar and trying to find his balance. _He could probably find it at the bottom of that bottle._ He laughed to himself.

Vadim smiled, "Get some sleep MacCready, and think of what I said." he said and MacCready raised a hand, stumbling his way back to the room. He got in and leaned against the door taking a long breath.

 _She might be what you need._

He looked over, where Anne was sleeping on the bed the same as when he had left. He took his hat and jacket off and then struggled with his shoes. He caught himself before he fell over and leaned against the wall. He got his shoes off and sat on the bed beside her.

He looked down at her, her lips were parted slightly as she slept, and she seemed to be mouthing words occasionally. He thought he may have seen a Mac in there, but he also may have been imagining things. His hand did that thing again, reaching out and brushing her hair out of her face. Her hair was soft, the only thing comparable was Duncans when he was born.

 _How long did we spend just holding him?_

He found his hand no longer moving her hair, instead, it rested on her cheek, feeling the heat underneath it. Her skin was still smooth, but he could feel the dust there, making its way into her skin. _Ruining her._

He found his finger starting to move, making its way across her face, as if trying to memorize it by feel. He managed to pull his hand away, realizing what it was doing. _Stop that._

He laid beside her, facing her, watching her eyes flutter. She was dreaming he realized

 _Does she dream about now? Or before?_

She let out a moan in her sleep and his eyes shot open. It wasn't anything...sexual, but it was still an odd sound to hear from a woman he was laying in bed with. He tried to block the sound out of his head, but then came the mirror.

 _She was even more pale underneath the vault suit._

His eyes moved down, realizing most of her legs, stomach and arms were exposed. He shook his head, trying to make the images leave his head. He sighed angily laying on his back, half off the bed.

 _Quit thinking these things, it's just going to mess everything up._

He looked down at her, and she moved closer, burying her face in his arm. He smiled softly and closed his eyes.

For the first time in 3 months, MacCready had a friend.


	10. Of course I care

MacCready woke up to the bed moving. He looked up to see Anne sitting on the edge of the bed, pulling her boots on, her coat already on.

"What time is it?" MacCready asked rubbing his eyes, the faint blurriness of the alcohol still sitting in the back of his head.

"A little after 5," she said tying her boot up.

"Are you crazy?" he said sitting up and looking at her.

"We slept for 14 hours, we wasted a full day yesterday." She said standing up, both her boots on. She walked over to her pack and pulled out a box of sugar bombs. MacCready sat up with a sigh.

"Okay, I'm up," he said swinging his feet over the side of the bed. He eyed the sugar bombs and she came over and sat beside him, her hand in the box pulling out a handful, she was looking at him and he looked at confused.

"What?"

"You're hairs nice," she said, placing the box between her legs, reached over and touching it, "It's thick. Don't know why you wear that hat." He looked at her, feeling more confused. She pulled her hand away quickly and grabbed the sugar bombs shoving them in his direction.

He reached in, taking a handful and shoving it in his mouth.

"Nice to be on the open road, Goodneighbor was starting to wear out its welcome," he said, between bites.

"I never lived there, so I wouldn't know," she said, taking the box pack and taking another handful. Instead of shoving it in her mouth though she started placing them one at a time in her mouth.

"And you're better of for it. Trust me," he said licking his fingers, "Let's put it this way. Can't get much rest when you're sleeping with one eye open." he ran his hands over his pants trying to get the sugar off, "Still, it was the best place for me to set up shop."

She was looking up at him, slowly eating her cereal and he realized how intensely she was looking at him, "Diamond city goons would've run me out town and wandering the commonwealth alone isn't the brightest idea when you're hard up for caps." he grabbed his hat, pulling it on quickly, hoping it covered his ears, he could feel them heating up with her looking at him.

She shook her head, grabbing his coat off the floor and handing it to him, "Setting up shop? What do you mean?"

He looked at her confused, "I needed somewhere to hang out so that people could find me when the required my services...the folks in Goodneighbor tended not to ask too many questions which suited my needs, so I made a deal with Hancock and started waiting for the caps to roll in." he stood up taking a few steps forward stretching his arms above his head.

"Caps aren't worth everything." She said behind him, he turned and he saw her head move quickly to the side, a red sneaking up her neck. _What?_

He took his coat from her hands, "Easy for you to say, But right now I need every cap I can get," He quickly pulled it on and let out a sigh.

"Are caps really that important to you?" her voice was quiet.

"I don't have much of a choice," he paused for a second let out a long breath, "I don't usually go around sharing stuff like this, but you've been pretty straight up with me, so I'm going to be straight with you." She turned her face to him, looking up at him, almost finished her cereal.

"It's those two assh….those two idiots you saw me talking to at the Third Rail, Winlock and Barnes," He walked over grabbing his shoes back and walking back and sitting beside her, putting his shoes on, "They've been hounding me for months and its been driving off clients. No one wants to touch me once they learn I used to run with the gunners, and I figured if I could get enough caps together, maybe I could buy them out." he started tying his shoe.

"I wouldn't trust those guys, even if you paid them off," she said, leaning back. He looked over, She was laying back on the bed, looking at the ceiling like he had last night. _Last night._

He looked away quickly, grabbing his other shoe on, "Yeah...I'm right there with you," he started tying it, "Winlock and Barnes have a small army of gunners with them at all times. They might decide to just keep the caps, and put a bullet in my head for good measure." he laid down beside her, looking at the ceiling.

"If I set up a place to meet them, I'm sure they'd roll in with everyone they got. _She might be what you need._

"Unless…" she rolled over, looking at him and propping herself up on her elbow, "Maybe you and I could pay them a little visit and put an end to them before they realize what's going on," her eyebrows went up "And before you get that look on your face, let me just say that I wouldn't even be asking if I didn't trust you." his ears turned red. She just looked down at him, and he felt his stomach start to get tight, afraid she would say no. A large smile spread across her face.

"If you need my help, I'm there," she said sitting up. The knot in MacCreadys stomach disappeared, and he let out a sigh of relief

"Wow...I really don't know what to say...truth is I haven't really been able to rely on anyone since I was a kid," he moved his eyes from her face to the ceiling, "Everyone I've met has either tried to rip me off or plant a knife in my back," his eyes drifted back to her and he felt a smile tug at his face, "But you...you're different. We see eye to eye on almost everything," he could feel the red on his ears descending down his cheeks, "And I have a funny feeling you actually care about what happens to me." She looked at him grinning.

"That's why I asked for your help. I'll tell you what, I'm going to make this easy on you," he pushed himself up on his elbows and he was still looking into her green eyes, "If you feel like helping me with this, head over to the Mass Pike interchange and we'll take them down. If you don't, I'm not going to hold it against you." He sat up all the way now looking over his shoulder at her.

"Either way, thanks for hearing me out. It's...nice, to know that you care," he said looking at her. Before he could really do anything she hugged him and his face started burning.

"You helped me out a lot already Mac, of course, I care." she pulled back looking at him and then standing up stretching her arms above her head.

"I was just going to head back home, but I think we can make a stop." she said glancing at him. He looked up at her. _Right now?_

"You ready?" she asked, and he nodded standing up across from her.

"I was born ready." _She might be what you need._


	11. Bulls eye

**AN:** Sorry for the short chapter last week, to make up for it this chapter is VERY long. Sorry for posting kind of late, I had a midterm today and it was math and guess what I'm bad atttttt.

ALSO on a NOTE for anyone who is under 18, **I DON'T CONDONE SMOKING OR DRINKING UNTIL YOU PASS THE HECK OUT.** I've done both, it's not great. Some of the worst things in my life happened while VERY drunk so please understand while I'm writing Mac and Anne to do that, they're both stupid. If you do smoke or drink a lot, I hope you can quit when you are comfortable so you can live a long great life :)

 ** _TRIGGER WARNING_**

 **Sexual violence, regular violence. Nothing too serious, but I don't want anyone to be hurt so please be careful. I will put a * when it's getting close and a * when it has passed for the sexual violence.**

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They made their way out of the Dugout as the sun was rising, Dogmeat jumping up on her as she walked outside, she pet the dog ruffling his ears and he pulled out a cigarette and grabbed his lighter. She was looking at her Pipboy as he lit the cigarette.

"We can get there by 9 I think if we leave now," she said looking at him. MacCready nodded, taking a drag off his cigarette and handing it to her. She grabbed it, placing it in her mouth and taking a drag, watching him as she did it. He felt weird as she watched him, but he didn't look away. She did that thing again, just parting her lips, and the smoke escaped slowly out of her mouth. He reached over taking her cigarette back. Once all the smoke escaped she looked away from him, down the road. She started walking and he followed walking shoulder to shoulder with her. The silence was comforting, something in knowing that nothing needed to be said made him feel good. They passed the cigarette back forth before it was just about burning his fingers. He stopped, putting it out on his boot. He caught up to her, Dogmeat now running ahead of them up the stairs out of Diamond city. She had turned on the radio well he put out the cigarette.

 _I don't want to set the world on fire._

"I always liked them," she said softly still looking ahead.

"Who?" he asked as they walked out of the walls.

"The Ink Spots," she said looking up at him. He glanced down at her, their eyes meeting, the green still shining in the shadow.

 _I just want to start a flame in your heart._

He felt his throat get tight and he looked away, down the road and pointed, "We follow this road, we'll eventually get there. Worst we should run into are some ghouls," he lowered his hand. Anne nodded, making her way down the street. He was following behind her when he noticed her hair, dangling down behind her back in its long ponytail.

"You should cut your hair," he called up to her.

"Why? I like it," she said back, he could see her one hand moving up to her hair.

"There's a reason most people in the wastes have short hair. Looks nice but..." he caught up grabbing her hair ponytail by the base and pulling it causing her to stop in her steps. Her neck arched back and she looked at him. The rising sun was setting a fire in her eyes.

"Easy way to hurt someone," he said, looking down at her. She blinked.

"Seems smarter to not let people get this close to me," she said.

MacCready suddenly realized how close they were. His chest was pressed against her back and he quickly let go, taking a step back and turned his head away from her, his hand moving to the back of his neck. She laughed and he looked at her, glaring. His ears burned.

"You know sometimes having your hair pulled isn't always bad," she said, continuing down the road.

"What are you talking about?" he asked, catching up to her and walking beside her.

"I'll show you sometime," she muttered but her lips quickly clamped shut. Her face turned bright red and she sped up the pace. _What?_

He tried asking her about it but she said nothing, just speeding up and making it so he had to catch up to her,

They walked the rest of the way chatting idly talking about the music, the weather, the wastes. He was explaining what Deathclaws were when they came upon the bridge. Her explaining that chameleons had been able to change their colour had made a lot of things make a lot more sense.

"All right, Winlock and Barnes should be here. Let's take them down," he said, as she switched off her radio, the sound of the wind encompassing them. Dogmeat looked up at him and then at Anne before sniffing the ground.

They slowly made their way towards the bridge, when some small watch posts came to view. She raised her gun but MacCready held his hand out.

"Do you have that silencer I grabbed a while back?" he whispered looking at her. She nodded reaching in her bag and handing him the silencer. He screwed the silencer onto the gun before looking at her.

"Get down, I'll do as many as I can before they notice when they do start shooting you start. The people on the bridge won't notice, they will just think it's raiders," he said creeping his way forward, raising his rifle.

He spotted a gunner quickly. _Maybe I did a job with him._ He sucked the breath between his teeth, holding his sights steady he shifted his position before pulling the trigger.

"Bullseye," he whispered, watching the man fall. At that moment the person standing on the other post seemed to notice. MacCready quickly moved the gun, pointing it at that person. He didn't aim properly, instead of hitting this guy in the neck, and he watched him grab his neck trying to stop the bleeding before collapsing. _Sorry._

He made his way forward, scanning the horizon until he spotted a woman standing on another post, a searchlight going over her. _Fuck._

He looked up but the searchlight was on the building in front of him, he had to move around. He waited until the searchlight went past her, and he pulled the trigger, seeing the bullet enter her chest and she fell forwards off the post she was standing on. He was feeling good when someone came running out, clearly having seen her fall.

He didn't need to think, a shot rang out behind him, and the man fell. He froze waiting to see if he heard anyone. Nothing. He looked back at Anne who was laying in the grass.

"Good job boss," he said, standing up. She pulled herself up and Dogmeat stood to shake.

"Had a good teacher," she said following after him, stopping at the bodies and pulling some bullets out of their guns.

He walked past Anne as she moved to the bodies and made his way to the lift. Once MacCready reached it he hit the button and heard the gears start grinding. He started tapping his foot, impatience, and nerves getting to him. She walked up beside him as the lift came to stop on the ground before them. He got on, Anne and Dogmeat following. She looked at him, and he nodded. Her finger pressed the button, and the lift closed; Dogmeat looked around curiously. The lift started going up and Dogmeat whimpered. Anne rested her hand on the dogs head, calming him. She looked at MacCready, who felt as agitated as Dogmeat.

"We got this Mac," she said smiling weakly. He made a face, as close to a smile as he could, oddly feeling comforted, like she had placed her hand on him like Dogmeat. They were almost at the top when he heard an assaultron voice say something

"Shit," he whispered looking at her. He could see the confusion in her eyes

"Okay, when you get up there, focus on the guys, don't focus on the robot. I'll deal with the robot," he said looking at her and Dogmeat.

"Robot?"

"I forgot about it. Just if you see it looking at you, get behind cover. Trust me." he saw her gulp and nod hurridly, holding her rifle out.

The lift got to the top, both of them had their rifles out, and the assaultron turned to look at them. It focused on Anne.

"Hostile detected." it's robot voice said, and MacCready shot it in the head. It didn't take its focus off her, and he saw from the corner of his eye her run forward, shooting. Shouts started going up. They had to know they were there now.

"Hey tincan!" he shouted, the assaultron looked at him, but he was already running. He fired another shot off at its chest, a bullet whizzing past his head. As soon as the bullet exited he raised the but of his gun, slamming it into the side of the Assaultrons head. It didn't fall over though, it just wobbled a bit before slamming its body into him. He felt the air get knocked out, but he grabbed the knife he had at his hip and slammed it into the robots weird lazer eye hole thing.

"Damage sustained," it said and he grunted.

"You better believe it," he muttered flipping his rifle back around and shooting out its leg. The leg actually gave out and the Assaultron toppled over. As it fell a Bullet went into MacCready's shoulder.

"Shit," he muttered, looking up at a gunner who had a pistol pointed at him. Before he could shoot he saw the dog jump him.

"I love that dog," he muttered, slamming his foot into the Assaultrons side, as its head opened up and started turning red. He reached down quick grabbing his knife and he kicked it hard, watching it slip over the edge of the bridge, hearing the loud boom of the laser shoot from its head. He placed his knife back into his hip. _Okay, now the hard part._

He ran after where Anne had been, seeing a trail of bodies as he followed, before finding her behind the cinder partition on the bridge. Her forehead was bleeding, a nasty cut over it, and she appeared to have been shot in the arm.

"Took your time," she said looking up at him.

"Robot lady really liked me. Could you blame her." he looked down at her, and she chuckled before standing up and shooting at some gunners. One took a few shots to the chest before falling, another she hit the joint in her elbow and the woman screamed as her arm exploded.

They finished clearing off that side of the bridge before turning around and making their way to where he knew the commander would be. A turret aimed its sights on them, and he shot it down. A man stepped out, in power armor. _I remember when you had to be trained to use that_

"Aim for the joints," he said, raising his rifle. Shots started flying there direction and Anne ran towards a turned over car. He stayed in his position, keep the aim on him. The partition shook with each bullet that hit it, but He kept firing. The first 3 missed, and as he was reloading he looked over to where Anne had been. She was gone, probably making her way up with the commanders focus on him. He watched popped out from the partition and noticed that some of the armor was already missing. He was firing between joints when from where he was he saw the man's head explode

 _Good job boss!_

MacCready felt something slam into his head. He looked up. Winlock stood there, the but of his gun pulling back.

"Should've killed you before," he grunted and MacCready felt the blood run down his face. He started turning his rifle toward him. But _Not fast enough._

He closed his eyes for the impact but instead, there was an angry growl and he opened them, Dogmeat had his teeth around the gun's barrel, pulling it away from Winlock growling. Winlock shoved his boot into the dog's jaw and he let out a high yelp letting go. He turned back but MacCready had the rifle jammed into Winlock stomach.

"You don't kick a dog man." he spat out, before pulling the trigger. The gun kicked back harder than usual, but Winlock screamed falling backward. MacCready kicked him in the jaw and Winlock screamed again, and MacCready went up to Dogmeat, who was pulling himself up.

"Good dog," he muttered, scratching his ear. Dogmeat looked happily at him before his ears went up and he turned running. _Anne._

For the second time in 48 hours, Macready chased him. The two ran between the cars before getting to where he knew the commander slept. He made his way into a small shack and saw something that he had been used too as a gunner.

Anne was kicking the guy in the ribs, but MacCready could see he had gotten a good shot in on her face. Her nose was bleeding and looked a bit crooked. He was holding her arms down and yelling at her to shut the fuck up. MacCready grabbed the guy from behind and slammed him into the side of the shack, who looked surprised to him.

"I don't know what you were trying to do to my friend here but I think I got a good idea," he growled before throwing him out the door, he was about to take a step out when he saw Dogmeat right behind the scared man. His hair stood up and his teeth were bared as if he _knew_. He looked at Anne, hearing Dogmeat let out a long snarl, the man screamed. The sound of snarling, growling and screaming was soon replaced with the sound of someone choking on their blood, and the ripping apart of flesh.

He ran up to her, wiping the blood off her face. She looked at him, clearly shaken.

"Thought I emptied the place out. He was hiding behind the corner. He was on me before I could..." she whispered the last part and MacCready looked at her. He'd ran with the gunners long enough to know what he had planned, he'd seen it enough, he'd never forget it.

"Got what he deserved," he said, Dogmeat padded into the shack, a wide grin on his face, which was now covered in blood.

"I was careless," she said softly. MacCready shook his head.

"Maybe, but monsters wait until you put your guard down. Their cowards," he said, standing up. He held his hand out to her, and she took it pulling herself up. She looked at him, dried blood forming on the bottom of her now crooked nose.

"Thank god you were here," she said softly looking at him. MacCready smiled weakly before looking around at the carnage around them. They started walking towards the lift and he looked at her.

"Did you see Barnes?" He asked, looking around, before seeing a body he recognized leaning against a partition, the back of his head blown out.

"Sorry, I just was shooting. I didn't realize who he was until I was up close; by then it was too late," she muttered and he glanced at her shaking his head.

"Don't be sorry, I'm glad you did it," he said kicking the body and watching it slump over. _That's what you get you piece of shit._

"This should send a message to the gunners to say off my back."

Anne laughed, "You aren't afraid the gunners will retaliate?"

MacCready shook his head, "The way these lunatics act, you'd think they would...but I know better," they stepped on the lift and he pressed the button, "For the gunners, it's always about the bottom line. They just lost this entire waystation, and that cost them big." Dogmeat whimpered, Anne's hand went to his head instinctively. _She really is a mother._

"Besides, they have no way of knowing I was involved." The lift landed on solid ground and Dogmeat ran out, on the solid ground and rolled in it while Anne and MacCready stepped off, he looked down at her.

"Anyways, I guess I owe you a favor now. After all, you hired me and I'm the one that dragged you out here." Anne looked at him rolling her eyes.

"Well I wasn't about to let you have all this fun alone," she said walking down to the solid ground. MacCready laughed.

"Glad you enjoyed it," he reached in his pocket pulling out a cigarette, "Tell you what. I'm going to give you back the caps you paid me in Goodneighbor." Anne looked up at him a slight smirk on her face. Dogmeat came running over and barked happily.

"I'll still stick with you because that was part of the original deal, but now we're even," he said lighting the cigarette and handing it to her, offering her the first drag. She took it in her delicate fingers and took a long drag, her eyes locked on his own.

"I guess we're done here. Lead on boss," he said as she handed the cigarette back to him.


	12. Being alone scares the heck out of me

They walked for a few more hours, not making any stops. Her radio playing the whole time. He hummed along sometimes, and when he did he saw her look up at him coyly, trying to hide a smile on her face.

"What did you mean earlier about the hair?" he asked looking down at her, trying to wipe the smile from her face.

She looked down at her feet, red creeping on to her face, "Uh it's nothing. Just a stupid joke."

He raised an eyebrow, "What's the joke?"

"What were you saying about deathclaws earlier?" she said hurriedly. He chuckled, letting her change the subject. He started explaining his experiences with them once more.

They walked until they came to a red rocket that looked like someone had been renovating. Stairs led up to the roof, where a seat sat, he could see a large fluffy brown and black cat laying in the chair. On the ground by the pumps laid two very large cats, one orange and one black, playing in the dirt.

"Welcome home," she said turning to him and spreading her arms out, a smile on her face. She opened the door and walked in with him behind her. He looked around. The place was small, a stove sat to his right, and in front of him was a large garage with a set of power armor sitting in it, a couch was in the corner. A small grey cat laid on it, looking at them. Dogmeat pushed past him, running towards the cat and started licking her.

"That's Reverie. The only cat allowed in here. All the other cats stay outside." she said and MacCready looked at her confused.

"Cats like me, always have. Don't know why a bunch just started coming here once I moved in." she placed her pack on the ground and stretched.

MacCready shrugged pulling his rifle off his back.

"If you're okay, you can have the couch in the garage. I have an extra blanket and pillow in my room you can have. She went left around the corner, to the small office in the. MacCready followed; a radio played in the room, and Anne was seated on a worn bed covered in a few blankets and some pillows. Anne pulled her shoes off, and stood on her bed, reaching above the metal cabinet behind it. MacCready saw her legs flex in front of him, and he turned, looking around the room trying to focus on something else. On the other end was a small desk with a terminal. There was no chair, the bed was pressed right against it. Some bobbleheads surrounded it. He looked at it before spotting the comic on the desk. His eyes went wide and he picked it up. _Grognak the Barbarian._ He grabbed it and without thinking he sat on the bed and started flipped through the pages.

"Oh man, I love comics. I used to collect comics like this when I was a kid." That was a lie. He had an almost full collection at home but she didn't need to know that. After a while he let out a long sigh, placing it back on the desk, "I have that one at home." he muttered before realizing her legs were pressed against his own. He hadn't even noticed her sit down. Quickly he shot up, stepping out of her room.

She stood up holding out a blanket and pillow to him. He took them.

"Sorry I'm not here very often, I haven't really been able to add a second bed yet," she said fiddling with the belt and undoing it. He turned quickly, not wanting to watch her take her coat off.

 _She pulled her vault suit off._

He started making his way to the garage where the cat no longer laid on the couch. He threw the pillow and blanket down and turned to look at her crossing her arms. Her hair was no longer in a ponytail, her auburn hair had long strands framing her face. Her arms and legs were bare, showing how pale she was, but he could see the slight muscle definition.

"You had no complaints sharing last night." he teased. _Why are you even bringing it up?_

Her eyebrows raised in surprise and a smirk crossed her face, an expression he hadn't seen on her before but it made his stomach tighten, "What you want to share my bed again?" she asked, and he noticed the red creeping up her neck. MacCready chuckled, trying to keep his cool. _What do I say to that?_

"I don't know boss, you're a bit of a bed hog," he said started pulling the binoculars and ammo on his leg off.

She scoffed, "Excuse me, I woke up this morning with you practically on top of me." she said, and MacCready looked up quickly, feeling his whole face turn red. Her face seemed to be doing the same.

"I uh...I'm gonna unpack," she said quickly before disappearing around the corner. He heard some shuffling and then heard her in the other room moving around.

 _You practically on top me._

His hand went to his face. What the hell was he doing in his sleep? He pulled his duster off, hanging it over the side of the couch. He looked down at his green coat. _His gunner's coat._ He pulled that off too, laying it on top of his duster. He just wore his white tee-shirt, green pants, and hat.

 _Your hair looks nice._

He took the hat off, setting it down on his coat. He ran his hands through his hair, feeling the sweat on it. He sighed and noticed his hand had flakes of dried blood. _Oh yeah._

He walked out in the main area and peaked over the corner, not seeing her. "Do you have a water pump? I want to get some of this blood off me," he shouted over, not letting himself go closer. He didn't want to go into her room again.

"Yeah, by dogmeat's doghouse. You can't miss it." he heard her shout back. He could hear music playing on the radio in her room.

 _I'll rock 'em, roll 'em, all night long. I'm a 60-minute man._

He stepped outside, looking at his arms. There was blood coming from a few holes there too. He sighed and walked over to the doghouse. Dogmeat laid in it, chewing on some old teddy bear, the dog's eyes looked up at MacCready and barked happily. He reached down scratching the dog's ear and then moved past the house to the small water pump. After a few hard pumps and water gushed out. MacCready held his hands under the spout as the cold water hit it. He ran his wet hands over his face, feeling his stubble scratch at his hands. He'd shave if it grew much longer, which it wouldn't. His hands went through his hair, blood coming out with the water. MacCready did this for a while before his hands ran clean, then he ran water over his arms getting the blood off them. He sighed to himself; he was soaked. Looking up at the sky he could see the sun just barely starting to make its way down from its peak. _Probably around 3 o'clock._

"Ahem" he looked over, Anne stood there leaning against the red rocket, "You done?" she asked pushing herself off the wall.

"Just letting you enjoy the view," he said walking past her. She scoffed reaching in her shorts pocket and pulling out a stimpak for him.

"Figured you may need this," she said. MacCready nodded leaning against the building as Anne walked by, making her way to the pump. He noticed that she had changed too, now wearing a white teeshirt like himself, and jeans that were clearly a mans pair with how she had rolled up the bottom of them.

He put the tip of the needle into his flesh and he pushed it in, trying to ignore the sharp pain that accompanied with it. He pushed down on the syringe. He pulled the needle out, and sighed, already feeling the wounds heal. He looked up at Anne who was squatted in front of the pump. She was running her long hair through it, getting blood out and running water over her face. He noticed the water had soaked the front of her shirt. Her _white_ shirt.

He turned around coughing as the heat started to hit his ears, "I'm going to head inside." he said and she grunted in response. He walked in grabbing his rifle where he had left it by the front door and went to the workbench she had in her garage. He picked up the screwdriver and started taking the rifle apart. His mind cleared as he worked, all the confusing feelings disappearing as his gun came apart piece by piece. He had it all apart and sighed, looking at it. He'd have to replace the screws. He was just staring at it when Anne appeared in the doorframe, looking at him. He made sure to keep his eyes on her damp face.

"I'm going to start cooking, do you have a preference?" she asked. MacCready shook his head an she was just turning to head into the main room.

"Do you have any guns you don't use? My rifle needs new screws," he said. She looked back at him nodded, turned and walked into the garage. She stood beside him at the workbench reaching underneath and pulling out a small bobby pin box. SCREWS was written on the top. She held it out to him.

"Oh uh...thanks," he said taking the box from her hands, feeling the weight of it in his hands. He brought his eyes up to hers. She was close, and he could see that her nose was crooked, and her eyes had bags that had formed under them, or had those been there before? She nodded before walking back into the main area.

 _Weird...feels like we're living together._ He chuckled to himself. He started putting his rifle back together. He was almost done when Anne knocked on the door, a metal bowl in her mind.

"I think it can wait," she said, a smirk on her face. He put the screwdriver down and took the bowl. Squirrel soup.

"Thanks," he said looking up at her, she moved her head, indicating him to follow her. The two walked out into the main room. She sat at the counter and he sat across from her. A lantern was on the table lit as the sun had started setting.

Sitting at the end of the counter was a bottle of whiskey and he looked at her, and then at the whiskey. She laughed grabbing it and pulling the cap off. She took a swig before handing it to him. MacCready smiled taking a long drink. The burn went down his throat and made him feel warm. He placed it down between them and started eating. The radio played behind her, as the two wolfed down their meals.

 _Worry, Worry, Worry, love is passing me by._

"So you impressed yet? I told you I was a damn good shot." He reached into the pocket of his pants, pulling out a cigarette. He realized he did have a lighter in his jacket, but before he could get up she held a lighter in front of him with a small flame. He leaned forward lighting the cigarette. She put her lighter down and picked up the whiskey herself.

"I don't know. I haven't really noticed," she said teasing, before taking a sip.

 _Worry, Worry, Worry I'm so painfully shy._

MacCready rolled his eyes blowing the smoke over his shoulder and holding the cigarette out.

"Oh come on. You've got skills, I'm sure you know talent when you see it." She reached out and took the cigarette, and pushed the whiskey towards him, which his hands greedily wrapped around. It was like a reflex, his hand instantly raised the bottle to his lips. It was going down easier now.

 _Other guys get all the kisses._

"Yeah I suppose so," she said placing the cigarette to her lips, and he watched her chest rise as she breathed in. _Stop that._

He smiled leaning forward on the counter, "There you go. That wasn't too hard to admit, was it?" he smiled at her, and she blew smoke from her nose. He took the cigarette from her mouth.

 _Why am I the one who misses?_

"I'm completely self-taught you know. Picked up a sniper rifle when I was 10 and I never looked back." He put the cigarette to his lips taking in a long drag, their eyes still locked across the counter as she took a sip.

 _Worry, Worry, Worry woe is me._

"Always thought it was smarter to hit my targets at long range. I mean, why take chances right," he said, then exhaling the smoke out his nose, "besides, I had to come up with every trick in the book to survive the capital wasteland." he watched Anne tilt her head back and she took another sip of whiskey. Her neck was very exposed.

"I'm sure your parents were thrilled by your hobby," Anne said as she lowered the bottle from her lips. She took the cigarette from MacCreadys hand. This was becoming a pattern now, with them passing their vices back and forth.

 _Baby, baby, baby I'm a fool about love._

"Never knew my parents. Lived underground in a place called little lamplight with a bunch of other kids. Left there when I was about 16," he reached for the now over half empty bottle, "we kind of had a policy there, no adults. When you were 16 you packed up and left. I know it sounds crazy but having adults around was something we couldn't trust." He took a swig and she held the cigarette in her hand and her head cocked as she looked at him confused. The look made him smile to himself, it made him think of the woman who had walked into the third rail, not the one who had killed all those raiders with him yesterday. It was nice to know she was still in there.

 _Maybe, Maybe I should go to school about love._

"How could a bunch of kids survive without help?" she placed the cigarette in her mouth, the confusion dissipating from her face. Hiding.

"Everyone pulled their own weight. Just like a colony you'd find anywhere. We all had our designated jobs and we watched each other's backs," he smiled, watching her nodded her head, "Can you believe I was actually the mayor for a while? Crazy I know." he smiled rubbing his chin, looking up at her ceiling. He could feel the stubble again.

 _When it comes to getting Chummy._

"Pretty brave, a bunch of kids living alone like that." he heard her say. He shook his head, watching the smoke making its way up to the ceiling.

 _I'll admit, I'm quite a dummy._

"I don't know. Looking back on the whole thing, I think we were just lucky" he muttered that before shaking his head and looking down finding her snuffing the cigarette out in an ashtray, "Anyway when I hit 16 I ended up wandering the capital wasteland for a while. Took the odd job here and there but things were pretty hot with the brotherhood of steel running the show. So I hitched a ride with a caravan and made my way north until I ended up here," _He wasn't technically lying, "_ Made a pretty decent name for myself before I heard the gunners needed sharpshooters. Biggest mistake of my life." he took the bottle in his hand looking at the last bit left and swung it back.

 _Worry, Worry, Worry woe is me._

"They were animals. Killed anything that moved if it got in their way. I went with it for a while because the caps were good. But...I dunno, I guess it started to catch up with me. So I quit." _An animal is a kind way to put it._ She was leaning on her elbows looking at him, there was something in her eyes now; curiosity. _Too much RJ._

"Which pretty much brings us to now. So there you have it. My whole life in a nutshell." he leaned back in his chair, tucking his arms behind his head. She looked at him a sly smile on her face.

 _I found out that I'm the worrying kind._

"Sounds like the road can be a lonely place until you meet someone to share it with." His ears started burning fast and he didn't have his cap to cover it. He looked down at the counter trying to think of something to say

 _I'll go worrying right along._

"I...well...I never thought of it that way," his eyes darted back and forth and he looked back up at her, "Maybe that's why I feel so comfortable telling you all of this." now it was her turn to look startled. MacCready sighed.

"Look I know I tend to be a pain in the ass...I mean I know I tend to be arrogant and I come off like I want to be alone," _Oh no I drank too much, "_ Nothing could be further from the truth. Being alone scares the heck out of me...Now that we've been traveling together for a while, I'm beginning to realize how much I missed having someone I could depend on." His eyes were locked with hers, and he felt himself just keep talking as much as he wanted too.

 _Life is fine, but with a worrying mind._

"I just wanted you to know that I'm going to do everything I can to make sure it stays this way," he leaned back in his chair, noticing her cheeks turn red, his ears felt hot.

 _So many things can go wrong._

"Well, that's all I had to say. I hope you got something out of all that. I know I did." He stood up from the seat and looked at her.

She nodded her head, "Yeah...I got something." she said softly. MacCready smiled weakly before stretching.

"I'm going to bed okay boss, it's been a long day." Anne nodded, and MacCready made his way to the garage, not actually feeling that tired and shut the lights off as he laid on the couch staring at the ceiling. He could hear her in the other room, the music shutting off.

 _Worry, Worry, Worry woe is me._

* * *

 **AN: Not important though.**

I'm putting this at the end for a few reasons but I want to say something because it's kind of worrying me I suppose on how people may interpret something. I, like most people, HATE Mary Sue's. I'm working hard on trying to make Anne not a mary sue, but it can be difficult at times with the central role her character naturally plays in the story. Whatever. One thing I notice when people write a mary sue is they usually incorporate parts of their own life into their character and their life. Since a Mary sue is a way for someone to insert themselves into the world, they put parts of themselves into the character. There is nothing wrong with drawing from experience for your characters, every writer does, but I find inserting ACTUAL very specific parts of your life into your story, connected to your main character, is making it so you have inserted yourself into the story and it's...gross? I don't know I think it's a way to make your a character an irredeemable mary sue.  
I just did that. I want to give an explanation. The cats in this story are my own cats (Princess, Reverie, Bruce, Dorito. We didn't name Dorito.) Almost a year ago, Reverie died from heart failure. It was the worst experience of my life. She was 5. She died and it sucks and every day feels like I'm missing one of the most important parts; Which was her. She's dead in this world, but maybe in some little way she can continue living. My other cats, when they pass away, will still live in this story. I can't protect them from death, but I can let them live on in some small way, even if I can't be with them. I'm sorry this is so personal, but I want to give some sort of explanation if after reading this you are like "Oh gross, mary sue." I want to give some sort of justification so you understand where I'm coming from. Maybe for some of you, this didn't bother you, but it bothered me so I mentioned it.


	13. Polaris

**AN:** Pretty fitting the 13th chapter is coming out the day before Halloween huh? I planned well. Thanks to everyone new who has been checking out the story, We've gained a lot more views, and I'm floored. To all the people who have been here a while; I see you, I appreciate you and am so thankful for everyone who reads this story :). Anyways, enjoy this chapter, and have a spoopy time if you are into that.

Also, again **MAJOR TRIGGER WARNING: SEXUAL VIOLENCE** Same as before, I will put a * before and an * after if you are not in a place where you can read that, and that's okay.

Did MacCready fall asleep? No; He laid on the couch for a while just staring at the roof.

 _Why did I tell I tell her all of that? I barely know her._

That wasn't true. He'd seen her chase after her son; he'd seen the desperation in her eyes when she spoke of him. He saw the way her face fell when she spoke of her husband.

 _Nate._

When she spoke of Nate MacCready felt like he was looking at a reflection; a pain that went to your core, and that would never heal. Sometimes MacCready could have days that felt okay, but then it was like a cold breeze went through the hole in his heart, and he was forced to remember the fact that such a massive part of him was missing, Lucy. Even the days he had spent with Duncan, the pride he felt was tainted. Duncan deserved more then MacCready could give; he deserved his mom. MacCready always looked at his son and felt that shame; it was his fault Lucy was gone.

 _I'm a bad father._

He was drunk, in some woman's home, moping about his life, and not doing what he needed.

 _Maybe she's what you need._

His face got hot as he thought that, and he rolled over. Since he had started traveling with her, he started finding himself laughing more, and when he finished laughing, feeling lighter.

He'd felt rage in him when he saw her in that...position earlier. He hadn't felt angry like that in a long time. Last time he had...had been with the gunners at that small settlement. Father had owed them money for protection. They hadn't paid up, and he was supposed to be there for muscle. They'd taken their payment in other ways though, he'd been there all night with his hands over his ears as he heard the screaming of the man's wife and daughter. He'd felt such fire in him, and when he tried to bring up stopping, the others had laughed at him, calling him a baby. He'd felt so angry he could've walked right then. Early morning the small group of men left, laughing about and swapping story, and behind them was the wailing of a broken family. When MacCready sat somewhere in silence, slowly the wailing came back, with Lucy's scream mixed in. He was starting to hear the faint hum of it happening now.

MacCready rolled over, seeing his gun on the workbench. He pulled himself up, walked to the workbench, and started putting his rifle back together, the alcohol making his hand steadier.

He'd left the gunners a couple of days after. He'd spent weeks drinking too make himself fall asleep, burning up all the caps he'd made from that job. Anything to keep the nightmares away.

A minute later, his rifle was back together, and he held it up, looking down the sights and then placing it on the couch. He looked around the garage, seeing nails strewn about on the workbench, and a wrench laying on the ground beside the power armor. He stretched walking into the main room.

On the counter were the two bowls, the empty bottle of whiskey, and ashtray. He glanced down behind where he knew her room was. It was dark, but he could hear the faint sound of the radio coming from the room. _Sleeping._

He opened the door shutting it behind him slowly, so it wasn't loud. He stepped out into the night, the cold air hitting his skin. He walked around to the stairs slowly making his way up.

 _I want to be closer to the stars._

He got to the top of the building and started making his way to the chair that was sitting under the rocket. As he started walking closer, he saw the top of a head in the chair.

"Anne?" He asked making his way around.

She was sitting in the chair, her legs tucked under her. In her lap _was_ a bottle of whiskey, half empty, and she had another underneath the chair.

Her hair was falling over her shoulders, and the pipboy played music from her wrist. She glanced up at him, the stars reflected in her eyes, which looked like she could barely keep them open.

"Why are you up Mac?" she said shifting in the chair a bit. The moon reflected off her skin, making her look like she was shining.

"Wanted to look at the stars, why are you up boss?" He moved in front of the chair, sitting with his legs splayed in front of him.

"I couldn't sleep. Figured I'd drink until I passed out," she mumbled, a joking tone in her voice but MacCready could tell she wasn't joking.

"Hope you have enough of that to go around," he said. He heard her move behind him, and then a tap on his shoulder. He reached up, his hands wrapping around the bottle and pulling it to him. He removed the cap of quick and started downing the drink.

"You like the stars?" he heard from behind him. MacCready nodded.

"Yeah, I used to look at them back in the capital wasteland." _with Lucy._

"I used to know all the names in the little dipper." he heard her say faintly.

"Polaris." he pointed at the large star at the bottom.

"Didn't know people still studied astronomy," she said from behind him.

"I had a friend who knew all the names; she taught me them. Polaris is the only one I remember now," he said, leaning his head back and looking up at the sky. His head rested on her knee's.

"She must've been special." he heard her say.

"She was," MacCready said softly seeing a star go through the sky. He felt fingers go through his hair. If he were sober maybe he would've freaked out, but the alcohol made it feel better then it usually would. He didn't move instead just enjoying the feeling of her hand.

They sat in silence for a while, her hand running through his hair and he looked up at the stars, drinking slowly.

"Hey, I never got a chance to properly thank you for helping me out with Winlock and Barnes," he said breaking the silence, connecting the stars that made up Orion's belt with his eyes.

"So we're done with the gunners?" Anne's hand came out of his hair. He almost felt like asking her to keep going, but he didn't.

"Definitely. With those two clowns taking a dirt nap, I'm pretty sure the gunners heard my message loud and clear." one of her legs came down by his head. He noticed now that it was bare. _She's not wearing her jeans._ He pulled his eyes away, looking back at the stars trying to not focus on the smooth skin resting against his arm.

"Couldn't have done it without your help," he moved his head back a bit, looking up at her, "You stuck your neck out for me, and I don't forget shit...errr...I mean things like that." her eyes were on his face, examining it, half closed. _She's tired._

"You oughta try cursing once in a while, it's good for the soul" her head cocked a playful smile on her lips. MacCready sighed.

"Oh, believe me, I know" he looked back up at the stars, twinkling down at him, laughing, "It's not about you, it's about a promise I made." _that's enough. Stop there._

"When I left the capital wasteland, I didn't just leave little lamplight behind...I left my family behind." he heard her let out a sigh, her leg moving from his side. He could feel the skin drag against his own. He felt his chest start to feel tight, and he pulled his lips in trying to take his mind off it.

"Had a beautiful wife...named Lucy...and a son we named Duncan." his voice went quiet at that, and he felt her shift. _Lucy taught me about the stars._

"He's the one that I made that promise to...a promise to clean up my act and to be a better person," he remembered the first time he held Duncan, looking at him and realized he wanted to be better, "I guess that sounds pretty stupid coming from a guy who shoots people for a living," his lips made a tight line, realizing what he said sounded dumb. _I'm sure that family wouldn't call me a better person._

"You must have had a good reason to leave them behind." he heard her say behind him, her voice quiet. She sounded like she was thinking. MacCready scoffed.

"That's what I keep telling myself." he said the words angry at himself. _I just left him._

"My son...he's sick. I don't know what's wrong with him," _Oh great it's all pouring out, "_ One day, he's out in the fields playing behind our farm…the next day he took a fever, and these blue boils popped up all over his body." MacCready leaned forward a bit, remembering talking about leaving with Bryan, the two of them trying to figure out what to do.

"Last I saw him he was almost too weak to walk, I didn't dare ask him to come with me." MacCready's hands went to his face. He almost wanted to cry, just thinking of what state he was probably in now.

"Honestly I don't know how much longer he's going to last," he said the words softly, her pipboy still playing behind him. She shifted, her hand going to his shoulder. _Why are her hands so soft._

"There must be something we can do." her voice came from right behind his ear, quiet. Like she was whispering, he could hear the concern in her voice. MacCready pulled his hands away from his face. _Maybe she's what you need._

He could've kissed her, _that's what they say right?_ He let out a relieved breath, "I was hoping you'd say that. A few months before we met I ran into a guy named Sinclair who claimed his buddy caught some kind of disease...I thought he was wasting my time until he said his partner broke out in blue boils. They dug up information about a cure at a place called Med-Tek Research. They even managed to grab the buildings lockdown security codes. Unfortunately, Sinclair's buddy died before they were able to break into the facility." he leaned backward, craning his neck back, so he was looking up at her, his hands tight together in a ball. _The moon reflecting off her eyes._

"I mean...there's no way that's a coincidence right? Med-Tek has to be the place…" his jaw tensed as he thought about it. _Those stupid blue boils._

"Can you trust this Sinclair guy?" Anne asked, polishing off her bottle and setting it down.

"To be honest, I don't know him from Adam, but he brought up the blue boils and the sickness his partner suffered from. There's no way that's a coincidence or a trap. Wouldn't make any sense." he leaned forward, looking at at the treeline, his mind feeling clear.

"If Sinclair says Med-Tek Research is the place, that's where we need to go. Otherwise I got nothing else." there was no other option, this was his only lead.

"I hope so," she said softly, looking at him, a weird look over her eyes like she was in a dream. _What's she looking at?_

"For Duncan's sake...I do too." He turned around, facing her now, "When you're ready, just take us out there...I have all the codes we need to get through their security," he looked up at her, and without thinking took her hand, _oh there's the alcohol,_ "What you're doing...no ones ever cared that much about me before,' he tightened his grip, _there's her ring,_ "Even if it takes me the rest of my life, I'll repay this debt to you I swear it." She looked surprised but smiled.

"I'll hold you to that." she said softly before seeming to slam her mouth shut and pulling her hand away.

 _What?_

"We should go to bed." she said pulling herself up.

He hadn't noticed before how long her legs were, but now they were inches from his face. MacCready quickly pulled himself up, taking a step back from her. He stretched his arms above his head his eyes closing. _We're doing this._

He opened his eyes to see her staring at him; her head turned to side slightly. Her eyes were going over his body, and he coughed feeling his ears go red. She looked up at his face, her cheeks quickly turning red.

"Enjoying the view?" he asked, a smirk pulling at his lips. She said nothing, just quickly turning away from him and hurriedly making her way to the stairs.

Now it was MacCready's turn; he made his way up her legs, which were pale and smooth. He was tempted to ask her how her legs were so soft, every other woman he'd seen in the wastes had hairy legs. He said nothing though, just watching the muscles in her calf move with each step. Her hips moved slightly. The image of the mirror came to his mind, and he suddenly sped up, trying to get the image of her out of his head.

They made their way down the stairs quickly, both seeming to want to get away from the other as fast as possible. They got to the bottom and walked inside; he started making his way to the garage.

"Hey Mac," he turned, Anne standing by the counter, "Did you want a shirt or something to sleep in." _Oh yeah._ He'd taken his shirt off to sleep, did most of the time, _except when I'm sharing a bed with my boss._ His mouth moved, but words didn't come out, and he suddenly felt very exposed, red enveloping his whole face. He didn't say anything just darting into the garage and shutting the lights off. He wrapped the blanket around him and kept his eyes closed. He could hear her laughing as she made her way to her room.

 _Crazy he calls me, sure I'm crazy._

The small gas station went silent, and MacCready drifted off to sleep, hoping his embarrassment would be gone by morning.


	14. Just you

**AN:** Another unimportant AN everyone. Hope everyone is having a good week! So, this is, again, a heads up for something not in THIS chapter, but in a FUTURE chapter. I got Fallout 76, part of the Beta. Really enjoying dicking around stuff. Anyways I was listening to the radio, and this song came on, and MAN IS IT IN THIS FIC. It's this song called "Ain't misbehavin'." My dad is 70 and listens to music from the 30's-40's-50's because he's ancient. Heard the song, thought it fit this fic, and found a way to put it in here. THIS WAS MONTHS AGO and now it's in god dang fallout 76. Hire me Bethesda. Do it. What have you got to lose? Also, if you are playing Fallout 76 on ps4 and want to play together hit me up, I'm happy to play with anyone who is interested, just feel free to PM me or something I'll give you my ps4 name, and we can take down sloths.

Heads up, there is sexual content, NOT VIOLENT SEXUAL CONTENT (finally), but sexual content. Same as always * is when it beings * is when it ends. Enjoy the chapter guys.

* * *

MacCready woke up in sweats, breathing heavily. He was still on the couch, but the blanket was tangled at his feet. He sat up rubbing his eyes trying to remember what he was dreaming about.

 _Someone had been kissing him, and it felt like he was melting into her. He'd grabbed onto her shoulders, pulling her closer. She'd let out a moan as he pulled her to him and he realized the bare feeling of flesh against his chest. Her skin was soft against his, his hands going up to her hair, gripping it in his hand. She let out a laugh against his lips, before wrapping her arms around his neck, her hands playing with the hair on the back on his neck. He shivered at the feeling, his one hand leaving her hair and moving down her soft back, covering as much flesh as it could. Her hands move to his chest, slowly moving down, dragging down his skin. His head felt dizzy, like he was drinking, but he wasn't. A flowery smell came over him as her hands moved further, now making a small gap between them. He wanted to close that so he placed his hand on her lower back, pulling her closer to him. She let out a grunt of approval and he moved his mouth to her neck, finding the tender flesh there._

 _That's enough._

MacCready turned on the couch, pushing the feelings from the dream out of his head. _Don't need to think about that now._ He looked down at himself, trying to adjust on the couch. _This is what I need, boss walking in on this._

When he was sure he was all good he stood up, going to grab his shirt.

The small grey cat was laying on it, looking up at him. He thought she was looking at him, one eye was, the other seemed to look just past him. _Weird cat._

He couldn't remember its name, so he grabbed his shirt and the cat hurried off, stretching and yawning before running away from him to the main room. MacCready grabbed his hat, pulling it over his head. _Her hands had been in his hair last night, running through them._

He'd drank too much last night, he stepped out in the main room, looking outside. The sky was blue and two cats laid by the pumps, one licking the other. One was fat and black with a white belly and neck, the other small and orange. He watched the orange cat move, and the big one let out a weird sound biting its neck.

 _Cat's are weird._

He guessed it was after 8, "Boss?" he shouted. Silence replied, and he looked at the counter. The bowls and empty bottle were gone. Sitting there was an ashtray with a pack of cigarettes and lighter beside it. He grabbed the pack opening it and putting a cigarette in his mouth. In a few seconds, the cigarette was lit, and the smoke washed over him. He sighed happily, enjoying the feeling of smoke inside him. He hadn't heard anything, and slowly he made his way around to where he knew her room was.

Her bed was empty, and the grey cat was laying in a pile of blankets looking up at him. _Where did she go?_ He entered the room, a flowery smell coming over him. _A flowery smell?_

He looked around the room, having not been able to really look yesterday. Bobble heads sat on the desk, along with a pile of prewar books and magazines. He looked at them seeing words he didn't recognize before setting them down. His eyes moved to the large cabinet pressed behind the bed. Her vault suit sat on one of the shelves, along with some robot figurines.

He then noticed a small collection of paper with writing on it. He reached for it instinctively and started reading, sitting on the bed.

 _Day 43._

 _Been out of the vault for over a month now. Been away from the rocket. Sturges got the set of stairs set up as I asked and covered up the side frames. The place feels way more secure now. Going to see him today, ask him about fixing the window. I don't want to board it up, the trees are a nice view. Codsworth took good care of the plants and cats, I'll head over and thank him when I go see Sturges. Met this Merc Nick had suggested. He's a good kid, seems like his life has been hard. It's sad to think about. Going to head out tomorrow and try and find a cure for his son, then he can send it back to his wife._ Oh yeah, he'd never told her what happened to Lucy.

 _STOP FLIRTING_ was written underneath in large bold letters and underlined aggressively. He felt his ears start to heat up. Were they flirting?

 _It's nice to travel with him, I like Piper, but it feels like she doesn't always grasp what I've gone through. MacCready, when he looks at me, when he grabs me when I'm crying, I can see that he know's my hurt. He's patient with me and pulls me back on track..._ some words were crossed out after that and _NO_ was written angrily beside them.

 _Going to see Nate today, maybe I'll take Mac. See how I feel. I need to tell him...tell him I killed Kellog. Show him what I've become without him._ It ended and MacCready looked at the other pages, all marked Day 1, Day 8, Day 14, Day 23, Day 32. He looked at day 1 and felt a sadness hit him. The words were runny, and the page was warped from the tears that had hit it. He could make out the words Nate, Dead, Shaun, my baby, what, help.

He placed the papers back where he found them. He looked around the room some more.

Sitting on the cupboard was one of those flags in a case, its glass broken and the flag stained. Behind it was another case, this one holding a piece of paper. The paper was severely damaged, but he could make out some words. Distinction, Suffolk, law, Annette Summers. _Her full name's Annette Summers._

He looked around a bit more, noticing how empty the room was, full of remnants of the past. MacCready stood up when his foot hit something under the bed; he crouched down pulling out a small metal chest. He contemplated opening it before going _fuck it_.

Inside the small container was a baby book called _Your special._ They had a copy in little lamplight. A raddle sat in it, along with a small blanket and teddy bear. _These are items she is saving for Shaun._ Kellog had said something about Shaun being bigger then she remembered, meaning he was older. MacCready wondered if she would change what was in there. He closed the container and pushed it back under, pulling himself up and taking a step back out of her room and into the main area. He started walking towards the door when dogmeat came running up smiling at him and wagging his tail. He looked up, Anne stood there taking her pack off her shoulder.

"Oh, you're awake. Sorry, I wanted to run to Sanctuary and get some stuff. You seemed to be having a good dream, so I didn't want to wake you." she was opening the pack now. MacCready's mind drifted back to the dream.

 _He had her arms pinned above her head, as he kneeled above her, kissing down her neck. He couldn't remember when they ended up on the floor, but he didn't care. She moaned beneath him, his leg sliding itself between her's. He found her collar bone, kissing his way down. His hands relaxed on her wrists and she came free, her hands going to his hair, digging themselves in. She let out a long moan._

"MacCready?" he shook his head, the dream flying away. He felt the heat crawling down his ears to his cheeks.

"Sorry. Yeah...yeah was a good dream I guess." he shrugged, making his way past her. _She's right there._

She held her hand out, a Mutfruit in her hand, he took it, taking a bite, trying to calm down.

She looked past him, "Were you in my room?" he looked up at her.

"Oh, yeah sorry. I was looking for you. I saw your magazines though and started looking at them." he lied. She nodded and looked around.

"I was thinking abut heading to the vault if that's okay with you." he nodded. _She'd mentioned that on her note._

"Do you want me to come?" he asked, taking another bite from the mutfruit, juice dripping down his hand. She stood there for a minute just looking at him before nodding.

"Yeah...yeah, I'd like that," she said before pointing at the pack, "There was a trader selling some weapon mods, figured you could show me how to work on my gun? We get the weapons ready and head out tomorrow morning?" she asked, and MacCready nodded.

"Yeah sure, let me just get my stuff we can head to the vault first," he said, walking past her to the garage. He pulled his jackets off he ground, pulling them on quickly before grabbing his binoculars and ammo, strapping them on. He held the mutfruit in his mouth and looked up, Anne leaning in the doorway watching him. He grabbed his rifle placing it over his shoulder and put the mutfruit in his hands.

"What you looking at boss?" he said, taking the final bite from the fruit.

"Just you," she said, turning on her heals and opening the door, dogmeat running out before her.

 _What does that mean?_

He followed her out into the day, watching as she started making her way to the small community up the road. As she walked, he noticed that her shoulders looked slumped, and he saw for the first time the weight that seemed to be on them.

They walked for a while before entering the small town. People wandered around, not seeming to notice the two wanderers entering their town. As he walked with her he noticed most of the houses were in a state of being repaired, with people hammering them. He looked around, noticing one house that no one touched, other than a robot who was in it cleaning. He wanted to ask about it but kept his mouth shut. Figuring if it was important she would tell him. They walked between the houses and up a small hill, where the sign 'FALLOUT SHELTER' welcomed them.

They walked with the radio between them until they made to a small clearing. MacCready looked around for the vault door before seeing the metal in the ground

"Woah," he said stepping onto the metal platform.

"What?" Anne turned to him, confusion in her voice.

"Just never seen a vault with a lift," he said. Anne walked over to a ramp leading over to a small building. She pressed a button, and the platform started blaring.

"Get over here!" he shouted, the lift started to move. She ran over jumping on the platform beside him. He watched the Commonwealth begin to disappear as the lift descended. He looked at Anne who was shutting off the radio and turning on the light. A door shut above them, and he looked at Anne.

"You okay?" he asked, she glanced up at him, the green light of her pipboy now illuminating her face, reflecting off her own green eyes.

"Yeah," she said softly looking back down at her pipboy. He stood there in silence, waiting for the lift to stop.

The light started to hit his feet, and the lift lowered into a small room with stairs. He looked at Anne as the lift landed.

"Let's go," she said softly and walked forward, Dogmeat padding beside her. They made their way through the corridors of the vault, and MacCready had never been in a place as quiet. All he could hear was their footsteps. Even the other vaults he had been in, there had been the noise of animals, mutants, ghouls, or people; here there was nothing.

"This is a pleasant change. I can hear myself think in here," he said softly, looking around the untouched vault. She grunted, continuing to walk in silence. _It's weird without the radio._

They were rounding a corner when she looked at him, "Thoughts?" she asked. MacCready stopped for a moment.

"I can't imagine what it was like being locked in here with hundreds of other people...vault-tec got too choose who lived and who died. That's kind of like playing god if you ask me." she let out a low hum and turned to make her way into a small room full of pods. As soon as he entered the room, he noticed that it was so much colder than the rest of the vault. She walked to one and turned, looking in.

MacCready came up beside her, a corpse with a bullet in his forehead. He could see the frozen bits of brain matter behind his head. He looked at the man with tanned skin, dark hair and long face that had burns over his brow. His face was hard, like a man who had spent most of his life angry, but the way Anne looked at him made MacCready know that wasn't the case. He wore a vault suit, just like she had when he first saw her. She moved forward, pressing a button and the door opened. She didn't move, just looking up at the body. Her face didn't look sad, it didn't look angry, she just looked tired.

"Hey, I'm really sorry. We don't have to be here if you don't want to…" she didn't move, just looking at the face, "I...I'll leave you alone." he said softly, turning and patting dogmeat, who looked at MacCready confused.

"Come on boy," he muttered and the dog followed him out of the room. He sat on the other side of the doorway, looking at the clean walls of this vault. He was petting dogmeat when he heard it.

He could hear her sobbing. He turned his head, peaking through the doorframe. She was on the ground, her arms wrapped around her legs and her face buried in her knee's; her body shook. He didn't move just turned his head back, feeling an ache in him.

 _Let the dam break._

He sat there for a while, thinking back when it had been him. He remembered sitting in the tent he had used while traveling with Lucy. Duncan was laying on the sleeping bag MacCready and Lucy had shared, fast asleep. He'd just sat on the floor crying. He only stopped when Duncan cried, and he'd try to put on a brave face, but he looked like Lucy so much. He had her brown eyes and her large toothy smile. He'd kept doing this before getting to Arefu, explaining to his friend Bryan what had happened. He'd help MacCready get his small farm and started coming by daily for a bit, making MacCready eat, making him go outside. Making MacCready live. Bryan knew loss too, and he had helped get MacCready out of that hole.

Now he had to help her out.

He heard her footsteps approaching, and he pulled himself up, dogmeat shaking off sleep. She turned the corner and looked up at him, her eyes a deep red from crying.

"We should go." she said softly.

MacCready placed his hands on her shoulders, pulling her to him. His chest pressed against her's and he felt her seem to deflate before letting out a cry. He ran his hands up to her hair, stroking her head. Her arms wrapped around him, and they reached up, touching the hair on the back of his neck. She sobbed against his chest and he could feel his coats getting damp. He moved his one hand down, placing it on her back and rubbing it, trying to reassure her. Her hands pulled back, coming to her face buried in his chest and she grabbed the front of his coat.

A flowery smell came over him as he held the sobbing woman.


	15. It would fall apart

**AN:** Hope everyone had a good week! There will be an extra chapter on Friday! It's not a long chapter, and more of a kind of side thing, I consider it important story-wise, but it is a skippable chapter really. Anyways look out for that on Friday for a little extra. Enjoy everyone!

* * *

They made their way back to the red rocket, both with their shoulders hunched and feeling heavy. All MacCready wanted to was sleep, but Anne handed him a small but heavy bag.

 _God damn_

The bag had receivers, sights, and ammo extenders he looked up at her.

"It's stuff I've scavenged in the wastes." she shrugged going and pouring some purified water in a bowl and setting it down.

"You want to get started?" he asked, and she looked at him her eyes going over his body. He couldn't help but squirm feeling uncomfortable.

"Give me your clothes."

"What?" he looked at her confused feeling the hear behind his ears again.

"Your clothes are covered in blood, and so are mine, so change your clothes, and I'll go clean our clothes," she said , nd MacCready let himself loosen up a bit. Last time he had his clothes cleaned was when he was with the gunners.

"I appreciate the sentiment boss, but this is all I got. It's no problem." She rolled her eyes walking away.

The idea of him handling his clothes made him feel weird. He started taking stuff out of the bag, trying to figure out how he wanted to put the parts on when she walked back in.

In her hands were the tee-shirt and jeans, she was now in her vault suit. It took him a moment to realize that shirt was hers she had been wearing earlier.

"Here," she said holding them out towards him.

"Boss I really do-" he took the clothes looking at her, trying to protest but she turned walking out of the garage.

"You change MacCready, or I swear to god I will rip it off you myself!" she shouted, and MacCready felt his ears start to go pink he moved out of the doorway and changed as fast as he could, scared she would actually do what she threatened. The jeans were too big for him, the bottom of the pants getting under his feet, and he couldn't pull them up, or they slid right back down just barely above his hips.

He was pulling the shirt over his head when she walked back in, smirking, "Good boy." she teased taking the clothes from the floor. MacCready looked up at her and glared, she just smiled back at him, though he noticed the pink tinge on her face.

"I'll be back out back; This won't take long. Then I'll come back, and you can show me." Anne turned around making her way out of the garage with his clothes in her hand.

 _Were vault suits always that tight?_

He spent the next few hours working on the guns. He screwed the silencer on her own rifle, and then attached a scope to his rifle. He raised it, looking through the scope and smiling to himself. Hadn't had a gun with a scope since he'd been with gunners.

He worked for about an hour, attaching pieces, and then deciding he didn't like it and taking it off, replacing it with something else. He hummed along with the radio in the other room.

 _Don't want no penthouse, bathtub, streetcars, taxi's noise in my ears._

As he worked, sometimes the smell from her shirt would make its way to his nose, and he would stop for a second, letting it wash over him. He'd then realize what was going on and get his focus back, working on the gun again.

He was putting the calibrated receiver on his gun when she walked in, looking at him, her sleeves rolled up and hands red.

"Okay, everything's drying." she sighed, looking down at his rifle and then back at him, "Wow...looks like a new gun."

MacCready chuckled looking at the rifle. The suppressor, on the end, his barrel the same as before. He'd attached the calibrated receiver, a quick eject mag, and then the medium scope. He picked the gun up; it was heavier than when he had started. He looked at it for a second, proud in the work he had done and set it down, rubbing his hands together.

"Go get your rifle, I've got all this for you." he pointed at the rest of the mods on the bench. Anne darted out of the garage. He surveyed the mods sitting there.

He had a light frame receiver, short light barrel, a medium mag, a reflex scope, and a bayonet.

She walked in her rifle in hand. He placed it on the bench, "Okay, what I've got here, this will make your weapon a lot lighter to carry, and it should have less recoil when you shoot. Downside, it may take you a bit to get used to firing with it, and it may do less damage." he looked at her, and she was looking at the mods her eyes wide.

 _Cute._

He picked up the bayonet, holding it out to her, "Okay watch carefully."

For the next two hours, he taught her how to take the gun apart, put it back together, how to attach something, how to take it off, everything. She watched intently, and at first, she had been almost scared of the gun it seemed, but after two hours now, her hands were covered in grease. Finally, the fun was done, and she picked the rifle up in her hands. He watched as she raised it, looking down her new sights and feeling the weight in her hands.

"Oh wow, yeah that's different," she said before looking up at him, "Thanks, Mac."

MacCready threw himself on the couch, hearing his stomach rumble, "Can you thank me with food?" he asked looking up at her. She rolled her eyes, but a smile on her face. She walked out of the garage with her gun in hand.

 _God that suits tight._

She walked out throwing a pack of blamco mac and cheese at him, in her own hand was her own pack of blamco, the pack of cigarettes. and two beers

"You know me too well." he chuckled taking the beers from her hand and twisting the caps off, handing it back to her.

They sat eating for a while, she was across from him on the couch, and he sat on the other side.

"So what's your favorite part of the wasteland so far?" he asked, taking a sip of his beer.

She was lighting a cigarette and took a drag before handing it to him, thinking.

"I like the people. Most of them want to kill me, but at least they're honest about it." she shrugged, digging into her food.

MacCready laughed, the cigarette in his mouth, "What people before the war weren't honest?" he asked, scooping some macaroni on his fork.

She shook her head, chewing, "Not really." she said putting her fork down and grabbing her beer.

"What was it like?" he asked, handing her the cigarette. She took it placing it in her mouth and thinking again.

"It was clean, but there was always that feeling, that at some point it would all fall apart. And it did." Anne handed the cigarette back to him blowing smoke out of her nose.

"How'd you meet your husband?" he blurted out, not really meaning to ask. He took the cigarette from her fingers.

"Nosy aren't you," she laughed, and MacCready started saying she didn't have to say, but Anne shook her head, "He came to my school three years before the bombs dropped. They were doing recruitment, and they'd sent him to talk to students. He approached me in a big suit of power armor, as I was eating lunch. Asked me what was good from the cafeteria and...well we just started talking." she shrugged, drinking her beer. MacCready nodded, trying to wrap his head around that image.

"What about you? How'd you meet your wife?" she asked, and he felt himself almost cough as he smoked. He blew the smoke out.

"I was doing some work around her town, met her and decided to stick around. A month later we were married," he said and Anne looked at him, eyebrows raised.

"Work fast don't you." she laughed, and MacCready nodded passing the cigarette back.

"I was almost 19," he said thinking back, scratching chin, "Just a kid really."

Anne sighed, leaning back, "I hear ya," she said leaning back and taking a long drag looking at the roof, "I didn't always enjoy being married, I'll admit it, but I miss having a husband." she said softly, and MacCready nodded. He remembered fighting with Lucy sometimes, but no matter how bad those fights got, he'd take them all just to see her again.

"You know what I miss the most, about being married?" she said, looking at him and holding the cigarette out. MacCready took it and looked at her, eyebrow raised. She laughed throwing her head back.

"I miss sex," she said, and MacCready started coughing. Anne laughed at him.

"I've spent 200 years frozen. I'm allowed to be a bit frustrated." Anne ran her hand through her hair and took a sip of her beer.

 _What the fuck do you say to that?_

"I don't know if I can help you with that problem boss," he mumbled, putting the pack of food on the floor and taking another drag.

"I'm not asking you too. Just...thinking about maybe seeing if I can find someone in Diamond city when we get there next." MacCready felt his ears go red as he handed the cigarette to her, refusing to look at her.

"I'm sure you could spit and find someone boss," he said quietly into his beer before taking a sip. He felt her take the cigarette from him.

"What, am I considered pretty in the wastes?" she laughed, and he looked up, feeling his ears heat up. She was placing the cigarette between her lips, not inhaling yet though.

 _What the fuck do you say to that!?_

MacCready scratched the back of his neck, leaning back and trying to find the words, "Let me put it this way; Vadim asked me to introduce you to him." he looked at her, she was now inhaling her green eyes laughing at him she blew the smoke at him, and he waved his hand in front of his face trying to clear the smoke.

"That avoids my question. It's a yes or no question," she said, resting her face in her hands and putting the cigarette in her now empty beer bottle.

 _Ah shit._

MacCready looked up at the ceiling, hoping she couldn't see his ears, "Yeah boss. I'd say any guy would be happy to be with you." she laughed at that standing up looking down at him.

"Good to know Mac. You're not bad yourself," she said walking out of the room, and MacCready turned his head watching her leave.

 _What's that mean?_

She came back a while later, his clothes in her hands, he took them, happy to have his own clothes again. She walked out, her own clothes under her arm, and MacCready quickly started pulling her clothes off his body.

He was pulling his jeans on when he heard the 's voice.

"Mum are you in?" it said, at the door. He could hear her making her way over them, and he quickly started buttoning up his pants. _Great timing robot._

She walked past the doorway, but he saw her pause for a second looking at him, He grabbed his white shirt quickly pulling it over his head. He heard the sound of her sucking in her breath.

He was putting his shoes back on when she walked in with the robot behind her.

"Oh yes mum, the cats were well behaved. The boys got in a bit of a scrape with a molerat, but I patched them up right as rain." it's weird British voice called before one of its robo eyes focused on MacCready sitting on the couch.

"Oh you have a guest mum why didn't you tell me," The robot floated it's way over to him, peering curiously, "Hello sir, My name is Codsworth, the Mrs' Mr. Handy."

"Uh, hi Codsworth, I'm MacCready, I'm a...friend, of Annes," he said, glancing at her behind the robot. Anne was leaning in the doorway looking amused.

"Oh good, I was worried about her getting hurt out there without me. She wasn't really made for this world you know," he said peering around the room and floating its way back too Anne.

"He's my Mr. Handy from before the war," she said, and MacCready raised an eyebrow.

"You don't say?" he looked back, noticing the dents on the robot.

"I waited a long time for her and sir," the robot bobbed looking at her, "I'm just happy I could see her again." the robot said, a sad tone in its voice. Anne smiled weakly at the robot.

"Come on Codsworth, I'll show you the chores while I'm gone." she pushed her self off the doorframe and started walking away, out of sight.

"It was good meeting you sir." Codsworth said before floating off after Anne. MacCready nodded before waiting for it to leave. He quickly pulled his shoes back on and stood up feeling much more comfortable. He grabbed Anne's clothes and started out the main room when he heard her and the robot speaking in hushed tones.

"He's just a friend mum? You can tell me, mum, I understand you must be lonely without your husband." _Oh?_

"Codsworth he's just a friend, we're just traveling together." _Oh._

"Are you sure he has good intentions mum? The world is not as kind as you remember it." the robot seemed to say in a worried tone.

"I trust him Codsworth. He helped me kill Kellog. And anyway, he's married," _oh yeah she still doesn't know about Lucy,_ "Please let's quit talking about this before he comes out here." the robot said nothing, and she started talking about feeding the cat in the house.

MacCready placed the clothes on the counter, and she glanced at him before turning her attention back to Codsworth, explaining something about molerat meat. MacCready made his way back to the couch, spreading himself out on it and tucking his arms behind his head, looking up at the ceiling.

 _Just a friend._


	16. Hallelujah

**AN:** Extra chapter! Enjoy guys!

* * *

MacCready woke up, rolling off the couch. He sat up, rubbing his head and looking around. He could see outside the sun coming up, and he wondered when he fell asleep. The last thing he remembered was Anne talking with that robot.

 _I trust him Codsworth_

He stood up stretching and grabbing his green coat, throwing it on. He left his duster, still folded on the workbench from her washing it yesterday. He walked out of the garage, almost expecting her to be up but to find the small truck stop still and silent other then a faint sound coming from her room. _Music?_

He made his way slowly to her room, stepping quietly. He peeked around the door frame.

The cat laid curled up by her head, looking up at him, and Anne was curled around the cat, the blanket covering her legs. She was wearing the white tee-shirt he had been wearing yesterday and one arm hanged off the bed. He looked down, hearing the music play softly from her pipboy. First, he thought it was just the radio but then he realized he didn't know the words like he normally did.

 _But baby I've been here before, I've seen this room and I've walked this floor. You know, I used to live alone before I knew you._

He hadn't heard this song before, some prewar song she must've found. The song played quietly as he looked down at her. He leaned on the door.

Her lips moved in her sleep, she didn't speak this time, but he could see her mouth forming words. He tried to make it out but gave up moving his eyes to the rest of her face.

 _And I've seen your flag on the marble arch, and love is not a victory march, it's a cold and its a broken hallelujah._

MacCready slid down the frame, now eye level with her. She looked so peaceful. Yesterday she had been crying, and he felt so bad. He knew that suffering she was going through, and seeing her go through it made his chest hurt. Reminded him of when Lucy had been crying after her father died. All he had wanted to do was take her pain away. When he looked at Anne cry he felt the same way sometimes.

 _Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallejuah, Hallejuah._

But as she slept he noticed how all that horrible pain she was going through was gone. He wished she could always look like this, with no troubles. He wished all this trouble with Kellog, and now the institute would just go. He wished she could have her son back, have her husband back.

 _Well, there was a time when you let me know, what's really going on below, but now you never show to me, do you?_

He inched closer moving her one arm back onto the bed. She grabbed the blanket, pulling it over her chest, her legs now exposed. He noticed she wasn't wearing pants again but didn't think anything of it.

 _But remember when I moved in you, the holy dove was moving too._

He just watched and she nuzzled her face into the pillow underneath her head, the cat still watching him. He focused again on her face again, looking at it closer. Anne's nose was crooked now, no longer perfect like when he first saw it. It wasn't anything big, and most people probably wouldn't notice, but he did.

 _And every breath we drew was hallelujah._

He could now see at her hairline a small cut, from when she had been hit the other day. It would heal, but that scar would always be there. On her lip, he saw a small scar, which had healed over. She'd probably gotten it right when she left the vault. His hand moved, touching the scar on her lip softly, tracing it. He was sober now.

 _Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah._

Her lips were soft, and he could see bite marks from where she had chewed them. He'd noticed that when she was aiming at something she would bite her lip when trying to focus.

 _Maybe there's a god above._

How many days ago had he taught her how to shoot? Three days ago? He'd only know this woman for about five days, but sometimes it felt like he'd known her his entire life. There was something about her that made him feel more comfortable then he felt around most people.

 _But all I've ever learned from love was how to shoot somebody who outdrew you._

His hand moved, tracing her jaw.

 _And it's not a cry you can hear at night, it's not somebody who's seen the light._

He ran his hand up to the side of her face, her hair getting caught in his fingers. Her head moved slightly, pushing her face more into his hand.

 _It's a cold and its a broken hallelujah._

MacCready just stared at her, feeling the warmth of her under his hand. Watching the raising and falling of her chest.

 _Hallelujah._

He pulled his hand back, watching as she continued sleeping.

 _Hallelujah._

He pulled himself up standing, his eyes on her face.

 _Hallelujah._

He took a step out of her room, not really wanting to go.

 _Hallelujah._

He made his way through the gas station, getting to the front door and opening it and stepping outside into the new day

 _Hallelujah._

MacCready walked into the rising sunlight, feeling the warmth hit his face and a small smile spread across his face as he looked up at the gold sky. He felt better then he had felt in a long time.

 _Hallelujah._


	17. Shake down the Boogeyman

**AN:** Happy Thanksgiving to you American readers. This chapter is kind of short so sorry about that. Hope you're enjoying 76 if you have it, though the game is breaking. A lot. Anyways enjoy guys

* * *

Anne had woken up a bit after he left. The two of them got dressed in their gear, and Anne told Dogmeat too stay, and he whimpered. He felt something stir in him when he realized this would be just the two of them, nothing else. She turned and locked the door.

"You know the whole fronts open right?" he said, gesturing at the giant hole that had a window once.

"Yeah, yeah," she mumbled, turning and the two of them made their way towards Med-Tek. She seemed grumpy, but as the sun rose and they talked about their sons, she seemed to lighten up.

"Shaun never slept at night, He slept during the day, and was awake all night. If It weren't Codsworth I would've lost my mind," she said looking as they walked down the road.

"Duncan always slept through the night, Lucy said we were the luckiest parents alive." Anne laughed at that nodding.

"You are lucky, No one I knew had a child that slept through the night," she said and MacCready shrugged.

"I didn't know anyone else with kids," he said scanning the horizon.

"Do people not seem to have kids out here? I haven't seen many." MacCready saw some wild dogs walking around up ahead.

"People have kids, but it can be hard to have kids now. My sister-in-law had a lot of problems getting pregnant, maybe it's the radiation Also with all the raiders, and slavers it can be a scary idea to have kids." She looked at him horrified and he nodded.

"Told you, it was safer to live in a place without adults," he said shaking his head, "Commonwealth doesn't really have a slavery problem, but in the capital wasteland slavery is a big thing, and kids are easy targets." he glanced down at her horror on her face. He stopped raising his rifle.

"It's horrible I know, but we've got trouble up ahead boss," she looked up seeing the dogs ahead, "time to get some practice with these rifles."

They made their way up rifles raised, and the dogs turned to face them. MacCready looked through his scope, hitting one in the head.

"There's about 4 of them," he said and she grunted in reply. She shot, and he saw her clip one of the dogs in the leg.

She swore under her breath, aiming again and shooting again, this time hitting one in the chest. She was getting better.

He fired at the one she had shot, his bullet going through its head.

The other three dogs came running up fast, and he pulled his head back from the scope, shooting one of the dogs in the chest, but it just kept running. One of the dogs jumped at Anne, and she slammed her bayonet into the bottom of the dog's jaw, and it yelped.

He fired another shot, hitting the dog that was running at him between the eyes. One dog left.

He looked around seeing Anne fling the dead dog on her forward, and it slammed into the dog running at her.

 _Damn._

The dog was trying to pull itself up when a loud bang rang through the air. He looked over, in her was the pistol he had given her the other day.

Kellogs pistol.

He looked at the dog, seeing the bullet had torn off half its face. He walked up to her.

"Good shooting boss," he said looking at the gun in her hand, "you decided to keep the gun huh?" she looked at him and nodded.

"I'm killing everybody that had anything to do with Nate's death. Then I'm destroying this thing," she said looking at him, a rage in her eyes that scared him. _Hate._

They walked for a while down the road in silence, the pipboy playing some song about riding in a rocket.

"I'd say we're makin' a heck of a team right now. When it comes down to it, I like having you in my corner," he glanced down at her, "let's try and keep it that way." he smiled at her, and she smiled back.

They kept walking and she groaned at one point, "I miss cars." she mumbled and he looked at her and then pointed at the car right behind her.

"Haha," she said dryly, MacCready looked at her confused.

"Somethings on your mind, I'd love to hear about it," he said and she looked up at him turning back to the road.

"I'm just...Trying to process what Kellog said the other day. About Shaun being older." she said, and he noticed her hand was resting on the but of the revolver in her belt, he didn't like that.

"Oh...yeah…I'm sure he was just teasing you," he said trying to think of something to make her feel better.

"After they shot Nate...they froze me again. Who know's how long they froze me for...Shaun could be an old man now for all I know." she sighed, throwing her arms up.

"That's ridiculous. I think you may over thinking this boss," he said and she let out an annoyed sigh.

"You know where your son is, you know how old he is." she said exasperated and looked at him confusion in her eyes, _and hurt,_ his chest got tight, "I don't know where my son is, all I know is the boogeyman of the commonwealth has him."

He stepped in front of her placing his hands on her shoulders, "Slow down boss. You'll get him back. I've never met someone as determined as you in my life, and if anyone is going to shake down the boogeyman to get him," he poked her chest and she looked up at him, her eyes bright, "it's you."

She let out a long sigh, "Okay, okay I'm alright. You're right," she shook her head and looked up at him and a smile pulled at her mouth, "Come on, there are other little boys in this wasteland that need our help." she said and MacCready smiled, following after her.

"Where you go I follow boss, that's the deal." she turned, walking backwards.

"Thanks, Mac," she said turning around again, her coat twirling with her.

"Robert," he shouted up, "My names Robert."

He heard her laugh and he scrunched his brow up.

"Okay Bob!" she said and MacCready glared speeding up his pace and walking beside her.

"Don't call me Bob," he said trying to sound intimidating.

"Or else what, Bob?" she elbowed him lightly in the side.

"I swear to god I will make sure you never get laid again," he said, not really realizing what was coming out of his mouth. She laughed at him and ran ahead.

"You said it yourself Bob, I'm pretty. Try and stop me!" she was running with one finger pointed at him. _Okay, that's it._

He chased after her, hearing her laugh. He caught up to her grabbing her arm and yanking her back. She kept laughing turning and looking at him.

"What's wrong Bob?" she said looking up at him, feigned innocence in her eyes.

"You know just as well as I do that bob is the stupidest name in the whole wasteland." She looked up at him, still smirking. _He had traced that scar on her lip._

"I dunno, I can think of some dumber ones," she said pulling her arm from his grasp.

"You wanna call me anything, stick with Mac or RJ," he said crossing his arms.

"RJ?"

"Middle names Joseph. My friends call me RJ. Have since I was a kid." she looked at him with a curious expression.

"So your full name is Robert Joesph MacCready?" MacCready nodded shrugging his shoulders.

"Parents didn't give me anything but a mouthful of a name I guess," he said and she turned walking from him.

"And a nice head of hair," she called back and MacCready shook his head laughing.

"You and my hair," he said shaking his head, and he heard her laugh up ahead of him.

"Hey boss?" he asked and she hummed in response.

"When I woke up this morning, I heard this song coming from your room...I thought it was the radio but I'd never heard that song before," he said and she paused in her steps, before starting again. She sighed.

"It was my wedding song...I found it when I was looking through my home when I first got out of the vault." _Oh._

"The song sounded sad," he said softly and she looked at him over her shoulder.

"It is kind of. It was some old song Nate had heard one of his friends sing. His friend sang it at our wedding, and Nate recorded it. Surprised me with it when we came back from our honeymoon." she said softly MacCready felt bad for asking now, it clearly meant a lot to her.

"It's really nice," MacCready said and she turned, the sun framing her showing her silhouette on the road she smiled weakly.

"I guess now it's just about...missing someone," she said softly and he looked at her placing her hand on her shoulder.

"You okay?" he said softly and she looked up at him, the sad smile on her face.

"Yeah I'm fine Robert," she said softly, the wind blowing a few strands over her face, she reached up touching his face gently.

"Thanks for caring." she said softly, her breath hitting his face. MacCready didn't feel the embarrasement or fear like he normally did when was this close to her, instead, he just smiled down at her. She pulled her hand away, turning and making her way up the road.

He followed behind her slowly, the music of the radio still playing between them.


	18. I'm a big girl

**AN:** Hey guys, sorry If this is posted later in the day. I've had a stressful week and have a midterm tomorrow, so editing this is a bit different. Hope you guys have had a good week. ALSO Trigger warning this chapter has some violence, so please if you are sensitive please be a bit careful.

* * *

Med-Tek appeared over the horizon, and he looked at Anne, "How you want to do this boss?" he said and she looked at him and shook her head.

"Nope, this is your plan RJ. You decide what we do." she stood beside him looking around. _Called me RJ._

He scanned the building, ghouls walking around outside of it. He felt a lump form in his throat

"Crap," he whispered, he hadn't expected all the ghouls to appear back so soon, he'd been here only a few months ago and now there was almost double from last time.

"What?" Anne said turning her head back to him.

"Just...it's a lot of ghouls," he said lowering his gun and looking at her, "Thankfully ghouls are stupid. I'll snipe as many as I can from here, and once we have a clearer path, we can head up. And uh, stay behind me." he said bringing his eye back to the scope.

MacCready started picking them off one by one, moving forward slowly. None of the ghouls had seemed to notice yet, mostly because he was just picking off the ones far from the group. He was very aware of Anne behind him, following closely.

Once he'd taken out five he lowered the gun and looked at her, "Okay, let's head in. Try to use your bayonet. They hear your gun all of them will know where we are and start coming for us," he pointed at the red car in the parking lot, "Things get hot, get on top of that car. They can still reach you, but it gives you an advantage. Just stay behind me."

"Heard you the first time RJ.," she said and he shot her an annoyed looked. _She doesn't know._

They moved forward, slowly making their way to the walls, sometimes ghouls would move into his sight and he'd shoot them. A few took more than one shot, but MacCready was quick, and soon they were standing at the wall.

"Med-Tek Research...I hope Sinclairs information pays off," he glanced back at Anne, who was still scanning the area, "Let's head inside and grab the cure." he said making his way into the parking lot. As he entered a ghoul came crawling out from one of the cars letting out a loud growl. _Crap._

"Get ready boss," he said, moving between Anne and ghoul. four ghouls came out from around the building, and MacCready started lining up shots. The ghouls were starting to run towards them, soon and he had picked off one. He was preparing for them to get closer when the Ghoul that had been under the car grabbed him, pulling him down.

"Shit!" he shouted, raising the but of his gun, but it moved to fast for a corpse, and started crawling its way up his body. Before he could slam it down a knife dived into the ghouls head, and it went limp. MacCready didn't thank her, instead rolling out from under the ghoul and facing the wave that was running at them. He shot one in the head, and as he did a bullet entered its stomach and a loud shot rang out from behind him. He stayed down on the ground for a bit, as two more ghouls rounded a corner and came at them. He focused on the one in front wearing armour. MacCready was lining up his shots carefully and managed to take out its legs falling over when he heard a grunt from behind him. He turned his head, A ghoul had Anne's bayonet sticking out the other side of its belly, but it was still reaching for her. She was trying to shake the thing off, forgetting that there was a gun in the monster's belly.

"Anne!" he shouted pulling himself up and running over. _Could just yell at her to pull the trigger._ She may not hear him over the things snarls though.

He grabbed the ghoul pulling it off and slamming it on the ground. It hit with a loud thud and started getting back up.

"No, you don't." he slammed his boot into its face. It let out a final grunt and he turned to Anne.

"Are you okay? Did it bite you?" he asked and she shook her head looking at him.

"I'm fine RJ. You don't have to worry, I'm a big girl," she said mockingly.

"You barely knew how to fire a gun a week ago," he said looking at her, she looked up at him and sighed, gesturing to the door.

He grunted, not wanting to argue with her and turned around, making his way up the stairs and entering Med-Tek Research.

He stepped forward into the ruined building, with furniture overturned and lights shining dimly.

"All right, let's find the executive terminal. Sinclair said it's the only way we can override the facilities lockdown," he said, moving through the building, his gun raised. He heard Anne move somewhere to his right, and he felt his nerves start to pick up at the idea of her going on without. _She's a big girl._

He made his way past the large wall, as Anne made her way to the terminal on the desk, pressing buttons. He stood in front of a short hallway that had a door to the left. He walked slowly, making his way around the broken glass. He waited until he saw her come around the corner, he moved his head towards the doorframe. She nodded.

He entered a small room, with another terminal on the wall, but that was about it. He walked another doorway was on his right and he entered a small hallway and as he moved forward, a ghoul stood on a pile of junk, its back to him. He shot it in the back and watched its body contort in an odd way as the bullet severed its spine. It fell to the ground. He kept moving forward, heading up a set of stairs, Anne close behind him. He got to the top of the stairs into a room with burned out terminals. He raised his rifle looking around the room. MacCready's eyes found two ghouls walking on the second story, one had a distinct hump of flesh on its back _One of those mutated ones._

He sucked some air in before firing at the ghouls, both shots entering their heads. The first one crumpled, but the mutated one just started looking around for who shot him, its eyes landed on MacCready and it started running to the edge. He fired again, hitting it in the belly, it didn't seem to notice and grabbed the railing getting ready to throw itself off. _Last chance._

He aimed for its elbow and pulled, and the bullet made contact, and it lost its grip on the rail and it fell forward, smashing its head on the rail and landing on the floor with a thud. He lowered his gun and listened to hear it get up. _Silence._

He made his way through the room when a ghoul came around the set of terminals looking at them. He shot at its belly, and it made a grunt but started running, he was reloading when it raised its hands, preparing to scratch his face. He was backing up when the knife went up the creature jaw. It clawed at it and MacCready kicked it hard in the chest, the knife ripping its face in half, blood getting on his newly washed coat. He looked down, Anne was crouched slightly in front of him, right in front of his legs.

"How'd you get in front of me?" he asked, she pulled herself up, moving so he could walk past him.

"When your fighting in close quarters your stance widens. I took the opportunity to slide between your legs and get the ghoul from below." Her voice was low, and he noticed her head turn away, trying to hide her cheeks turning red. _Hadn't even noticed._

"Smart move boss," he said walking through the rest of the room. She mumbled a thank you.

They made their way up the part of the upper floor that had fallen down, making a shortcut to the higher level. They walked slowly both guns raised, and he noticed Anne's hand on the knife she carried at her hip.

They got to the end of the room, when a Ghoul came out of a doorway, turning its attention to them. MacCready raised his gun, shooting it three times in the belly. The ghoul grunted but kept moving, but its eyes focused on Anne, who was standing a bit behind him to the left. He instinctively moved between her and the ghoul and as it ran at him he let go of the gun pulling his fist back which he slammed into the ghoul's stomach where he had shot it, and it fell over on the ground, smashing its head in as it made contact.

"You going to leave anything for me?" she said from behind him and he glanced over his shoulder at her.

"Just tryna be safe," he said putting his gun back in his dominant hand, moving through the doorframe the ghoul had come out of. He followed towards through a room with a rail protecting from a pillar coming from below. He made his way to an open door.

"Looks like a secretary's office," Anne said looking around the room, "That's a good sign."

He made his way to the closed door, opening it and three ghouls turned to face them, but a terminal with power sat on the desk. _That's gotta be it._

"Hi guys," MacCready said ducking so Anne could shoot over him. He shot at the one closest, but these ones were tougher, his headshots weren't taking them out like the weaker ones. He could hear Anne shooting above him and he saw one of the ghouls fall from the corner of his eye.

The ghoul ran for him, "No you don't" he grunted aiming his sights on its leg. The leg flew backwards, and the Ghoul let out a distressed grunt.

 _One down two to….oh._

The other two ghouls were laying on the ground, dead. He looked up at Anne who was smirking at him.

"You trying to impress me? Because it's not going to work." she rolled her eyes and started going through the room, looking at stuff, and rifling through the pockets of the dead ghouls, seeing her pull some caps out.

"We're splitting all that, right?" he called, making his way to the terminal. She laughed.

"What's mine is yours," she called and MacCready looked at her with an eyebrow raised.

"Move a bit quick don't you?" she chuckled from the far side of the room not having a snarky reply to that.

"Sinclairs password better work or we're screwed," he mumbled trying to figure out how to put the password in. He was still struggling when she walked over.

"Hand me the password I'll do it, it's too painful to watch." she said from behind him, he turned, looking down at her. She stood with her arms crossed, a grin on her face.

"Fine." he handed her the paper and stepped out from the desk and she made her way over and started typing. He watched over her shoulder, trying to see what it said. She was flipping through files when he heard the computer make a switching sound.

"Okay, we can make our way down," she said stepping back from the computer.

"Thank god that worked, let's find our way down to the sublevel, that's where med-tek should be storing the cure." he started making his way out of the room when Anne called out.

"Mac, why don't we use this," she called and he turned. She pointed at a hole, leading to the level they had just been on. He walked over and shrugged.

He hopped down first, checking out the room, nothing but a dead ghoul. Anne followed behind him and he continued down the holes. They got to the bottom and he looked around, his rifle raised. They started down the through the corridors before coming to a room they had entered earlier. A terminal sat that had been off earlier. Anne slipped past him and looked at it.

"It's for the airlock, should take us to the sublevel," she said pressing some buttons and the a the door opened. He looked at her and then back at the door, making his way in. At the end of the short corridor, he turned before lasers flew above his head. He jumped back, reloading his gun.

"Wait." Anne said and he looked at her. She looked at him, then back at the door before running through it.

 _Told her to stay behind me._

The turret started firing, and he heard her let out a yelp, "Anne!?" he started for the door.

"Stay there I'm fine, give me a second!" she shouted and he heard her pressing some buttons. It took a second but then he heard the sound of the turret shutting off, doors opening, and an orange light started spinning from the room she was in, along with a blaring siren.

"Okay its safe." he heard her call out. He ran in, not seeing anything.

"Where are you?" he looked around confused.

"Right here," she said from behind him, and he turned. She pulled herself up, slowly making her way to him.

"Nice limp you've got there," she winced leaning against the wall, "Sit," he commanded, grabbing a stimpak from his jacket pocket.

"Where'd it hit you?" he asked, and she turned her leg, two large gashes in her upper thigh, dark burnt flesh.

 _That's very...high._

"Okay, you got any med-x?" she shook her head, "This is going to hurt, but you can't scream. I have to put the stimpak right into the burn, and it hurts like a bit-son of a gun." Anne chuckled and nodded. He pulled a stimpak from his coat, watching as she looked up at the ceiling. He placed his left hand on the burn, hearing her suck her breath in. He put the stimpak into the charred flesh, and she slammed her fist into the ground, he could feel her body tense beneath his hand. He pushed the liquid out of the needle. He watched as the burnt flesh had the dead skin peal off, and the skin underneath turn pink and start to repair itself.

"Sorry boss." he said standing. He held a hand out and she took it pulling herself to her feet and shaking herself and looking at him.

"Okay, let's get the hell out of here." she said and he nodded, making his way towards where the turret now rested in the ceiling.

"Trust me on this boss, sometimes just shooting the damn thing saves you a lot of pain." he said over his shoulder. She said nothing in reply.

They entered a door, and a ghoul started getting up from the floor. Before it could get up, MacCready slammed his boot into it's face and it stayed down. He heard something growl from behind him, but before he could turn he heard Anne's gun fire from behind him and there was a loud thump behind him.

He made his way to the left, over some rubble. And past a corpse that sat against the wall. There were some stairs and he made his way up before seeing a giant metal thing with a radiation sign on it.

"Ah that's always a sign I like to see," he muttered Anne coming up behind him, "Let's run to the room across, I want to avoid radiation poisoning." he said and she nodded.

He looked back and ran across the room, hearing the giergar counter in her pipboy beeping as they went. He entered the room and to the left was a ghoul turning to face him. He raised his rifle hitting it in the head and it fell over. He could still hear her pipboy and started making his way left. Standing on the counter was a ghoul, who turned its head at him, and he could see behind a panel of glass another ghoul. He shot the ghoul on the counter twice, once in the chest and then again in the neck. The other ghoul came around the corner, and a bullet landed between its eyes. He looked back at Anne, who looked up at him smiling.

"You don't even really need me anymore do you?" he asked and Anne rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, I was gonna deal with that burn myself." she said walking past him and looking around the room. MacCready made his way to the elevator and pressed the call button. The doors opened and he stepped into the dark elevator.

"Coming boss?" he called and she made her way in, stepping into the small space. She faced him as the door shut, darkness enveloping them. The lift started moving down and the light started coming into the elevator.

"Here we go." she said softly, reloading her rifle.

He chuckled as the elevator came to a halt.


	19. A fighting chance

**AN:** So I got bad news guys. There will be no chapter next week on the 11th. I apologize guys but it's right in the middle of finals, and I won't have time to edit a chapter and get it out.

BUT

Regular chapters will resume on the 18th, and I will be posting an extra chapter on the 21. It's going to be a holiday kind of chapter and MacCready and Anne before all of this. I want you guys to kind of get a sense of who they were before the traumas they have faced, to get to know them as characters better? Does that make sense? It won't be a religious chapter or anything, it'll be more of a look into Mac and Anne's past. If you guy's like it I may start posting side chapters like that more often, along with the regular posts. I apologize for the hiatus guys but schools important. Anyways enjoy this chapter guys! And Happy Chanukah!

* * *

The doors opened the two creeped out and at the same time the smell hit him

"Ugh...smells horrible. I think we're the first ones down here in a long time," he got in front of her, "The sooner we find that cure, the sooner we can get out of here."

They moved through a door on the right, and MacCready peaked his head around it, and two turrets instantly moved on him. He pulled his head back and they started shooting. He winced, feeling the bullets rock the other side of the wall.

"I'll take the back, you take the front?" he said, glancing at her. She nodded. He waited until the shooting stopped, and then he turned around the corner, crouched, and he felt her above him.

The shots rang out in unison, and both the turrets fell from the ceiling. He scanned the rest of the room and they moved forward once he was sure it was safe. They walked slowly, going to the small control room at the end of the room. He peered in, seeing nothing but a terminal and some stairs going down.

"Wait," Anne whispered behind him, making her way to the terminal. He sighed impatiently, watching the terminal light up. She was quick though, and when she finished started looking through the drawers before turning to him and reaching in her pack.

"Here I got you something," she said rifling through her pack.

"Aw you shouldn't have." he teased and she looked back at him rolling her eyes.

She pulled out a handful of stimpaks holding them out to him, slinging her pack back on.

"Woah where did you get these?" he placed them in his pocket designated for stimpaks.

"I bought a few, scavenged a few...borrowed a few," she said adjusting her rifle in her hands. _So stealing._

He chuckled, and then heard a protectron voice and the sound of lasers, he looked at her.

"There was an option to activate it. Figured it could take care of some ghouls for us." she shrugged, and he gave her an impressed nod.

"Smart thinking boss." he made his way back where they had come from seeing the protrectron shooting some ghouls that were running at it. He made his way down the stairs, the ghouls not noticing the two of them yet. They moved silently to a door with a hall going left down some collapsed floor. He was making his way down when a ghoul passed ahead of them. He raised his gun, shooting it in the neck. It stumbled back, and a ghoul he hadn't noticed stood up, turning its head to them. He moved forward slowly, but the second ghoul was now running at them, and two more came from the left and right.

 _Too many._

He started shooting, still pushing forward. The one that came from his right entered the small hall they were in, and it flew back like it been punched in the chest. As it fell another ran past it, and he nailed it in the eye, watching its face fly away. _One left._

It had fallen though he noticed, its legs were gone and it was trying to crawl over to them. They walked into the room and Anne moved past him, kicking the ghoul in the face. It stopped making noise. His eyes were caught by the bright fusion core on his right. _Good money._ He then remembered the suit of power armour that Anne had in her garage. He pulled the core out, placing it in a pocket, debating whether to give it to her or sell it once they got to a trader. _Got time to think about it._

They continued like this for a while. The two of them taking down ghouls and moving forward slowly. He made his ways down some stairs, seeing a large room that had shutters on its windows. _That's what Sinclair said to look for._

He made his way around, shooting some stray ghouls. Anne started making her way to the terminal and he grabbed her arm.

"We don't know what's in there boss," he said looking around the room. _It's right there._

"Okay we're making a game plan, what's on that terminal?" he asked and she looked at it before looking back at him.

"Turret controls and door controls?" she said as if she hoped that was the right answer.

He nodded looking around the room, now spotting the turrets in the roof.

"You got any mines on you?" he asked, trying to figure out decent places for cover.

"I got 2 on me yeah." she reached in her pack, pulling them out.

"Okay...you place those at this door here, and then down the hall a bit. You hide around that corner and watch until...whatever is in there comes out. I'll draw its attention, and once you are sure you can get to the terminal without drawing it noticing, turn the turrets on. I'll know when you do it. Once the turrets are on get into the room and grab that cure...if something happens," she opened her mouth to protest, "I'm saying if. You get that cure, get out of here. Sneak your way out, and if they start coming at you get yourself in a doorway. Funnel them." He smiled weakly at her and he could see the fear in her eyes.

"It's not going to come to that," he said trying to reassure her. She nodded and he could see the fear still in her eyes. They made their way through the room, and MacCready watched her turn the turrets on. He stood down the hall, by the stairs, where when...whatever, exited the room it would see him. Anne went to the terminal. He gave her a nodded and she pressed some buttons before running behind the other wall across from him.

Stumbling out of the room came one feral ghoul, and MacCready sighed a breath of relief, before noticing the glow behind it. _Ah fuck._

The glowing one moved differently, it's nose in the air sniffing, looking for them.

"Hey Handsome!" he shouted and both the ghouls turned and snarled at him.

"Yeah you got something of mine!" he raised his rifle hitting the glowing one in the chest. It didn't even seem to notice. The regular feral stepped on the first mine, and its legs gave out from under as it went flying. The glowing one didn't seem to notice. He saw Anne start coming out of from behind the wall.

He shot at the ghoul again making his way down the hall, "Yeah keep your eyes on me!" he shouted, it stepped over the second mine and it's legs now wobbled a bit, but it didn't slow it down.

He heard the turrets activate and he made his way around the corner, trying to get to the stairs.

The one turret started shooting at the glowing one, that noticed and started looking around for what was shooting it. He looked to his left, seeing Anne making her around the room. _If it sees her._

"Hey!" he shouted and the glowing ones head snapped at him, bullets making it shake a bit.

Before he could say something else he felt himself lurch forward and the heat of bullets entering his shoulder.

He let out a hiss and noticed the glowing one still running at him. He turned and started running through the hall, hoping the turrets would lock on the brighter thing, other than himself. It seemed to be working, he could hear the ghoul giving off grunts as it chased him, he got to a spot and looked back. The feral was right behind him with its arms raised.

 _Oh please don't be doing that thing._

A wave of radiation hit him and his head went blurry. He wanted to puke. He looked up noticing the glowing ones open maw coming towards him.

"Hey!" he heard come from behind it, and a bullet went through its forehead.

It turned. _Hadn't noticed the turrets had shut off._

"Told you to get out of here!" he shouted, watching the ghoul turn facing Anne who had herself crouched on the stairs.

"Not letting you have all this fun," she shouted, a second bullet flying through the arm of the glowing one, blowing it off at the shoulder. It started running at her and he raised his rifle unsteadily, still fighting off the urge to puke.

From behind he could see its spine, and shot, watching the bullet leave the barrel, entering its spine and severing it. The glowing one let out a weird sound before falling forward.

He looked up at Anne and she lowered her gun, in her other hand a red container. _That's it._

He gave a thumbs up before keeling over and puking.

They made their way out slowly, MacCready wincing at the pain in his shoulder, and still fighting off the radiation in his body. Anne moved slowly with him, catching him when he stumbled. Finally, the radiation seemed to wear off as they got to the front lobby. He leaned against the desk and Anne pulled out the small red container, placing it in his hands.

"Here you go MacCready," she said, a smile on her face.

"We did it," he felt the cool metal under his hands and looked up at her, "Holy crap we actually did it. We just gave Duncan a fighting chance to live!" the pain in his shoulder seemed to disappear, and he slid the container in the pocket under his coat, by his chest. He looked up at Anne.

"I...I don't know how I'll ever be able to pay you back for this...I owe you big time." A part of him wanted to hug her, but instead, he stayed leaning against the desk, his rifle at his feet. _What's the proper way to thank someone for saving the most important thing in the world?_

She smirked at him, "I don't know, you're already running quite a tab." MacCready laughed at that.

"I know I am. I've always been better at taking than giving. Maybe one day I'll learn to get my priorities straight," he saw her lean back and forth on her feet looking at him, _is she one of my priorities?_

"Anyway, the last step ahead of us is getting the cure to Daisy in goodneighbor. With her caravan contracts, she's the only one I trust to get this to Duncan on time." he picked his rifle up again, and Anne started tuning her radio back to diamond city radio.

 _That man can look me in the eye_

"This is the last favour I'm going to ask, I promise," he said looking at Anne who smiled.

 _And tell the biggest, sweetest lie._

"I doubt that," she laughed grabbed his hand and started pulling him out of the old building.

 _And I forget that lipstick on his tie._

Normally he maybe would've pulled away but instead, the feeling of his hand in hers felt comforting now.

 _He's a Demon, he's a devil, he's a doll._


	20. Somewhere more comfortable

**AN:** Hey everyone I'm back! Thank you for your patience while I was gone. Finals are almost done (Thank god) and then I'm going to dive into playing some Fallout 4 and then working on more chapters. Next Tuesday there will be another chapter, though it may be later at night since all day is spent with my family and my partners family, it still will be posted. Anyways, guys, I hope you have had a good two weeks. I hope if you are in school you are crushing it, if your working, you are crushing it, and if you are at home, you are crushing it. See you guys next week, enjoy!

* * *

They walked towards Goodneighbor with just the radio for a bit, MacCready now noticing his duster had started showing the crimson that leaked from his shoulder. _There's no time._ Deciding he could live with it. As they kept walking though his head started feeling light. The sun continued shining until he stumbled over a rock. He caught himself before he fell, but Anne noticed.

"MacCready was that blood there before we walked into Medtek?" he could hear the concern in her voice. He grunted in reply, not able to really think of a reply. She stepped in front of him looking at his shoulder.

"MacCready we gotta stop, You've lost...a lot of blood." she placed her hand where the bullet had gone in, pulling it back red.

"I've had worse; we got to get to Goodneighbor. Longer we're out here longer something could happen," he mumbled, starting to feel like he was drunk. He looked down at her. _Were her eyes always this bright?_

She wrapped her arm around his shoulder, "This won't take long, come on." she started pulling him into an abandoned building. They had just reached the city limits; he hadn't noticed.

She pulled the doorknob, which gave the rattle of being locked. Anne pulled out her bobby pin and screwdriver.

"Doing a little bit of breaking and entering now eh? You're full of surprises aren't you?" she didn't seem to pay attention, and he leaned against the building looking down at her. _Her hands are so slender. That's a weird thing to notice._

She stood up, opening the door and wrapping her arm around him again to support him. They entered a small room with an overturned couch and table; empty jet containers were strewn about.

"Looks like we missed the party," he said, nearly falling over. She flipped the couch and sat him down on it, before going and locking the door. She walked back over, taking her jacket off and throwing it beside him. He looked at her, as she kneeled in front him.

"I'm gonna take your duster off okay; I'll probably have to take your green coat off too, so stay still." She reached forward, gently pulling his duster away.

"Boss, how long have you been waiting for this?" he smiled down at her, the blood loss making him feel cocky. He was rewarded by the pink starting to form on her cheeks. Anne mumbled something under her breath pulling his duster off. She started fiddling with the buttons on his green coat. He started helping, going from the bottom and making his way up. He closed his eyes resting his head on the back of the couch. He didn't realize he had put his hands over hers, still fumbling to find the button. His finger brushed against the ring on her finger and it felt like a shock of electricity. He moved his hand quickly away from her.

Once his coats were off, he opened his eyes and looked down at Anne. She saw her staring at his shoulder, tucking her lower lip under teeth.

"It's bad Mac," she said softly, "I see at least four holes, maybe a fifth." she moved her eyes up to his face, "I'm going to have to get under your shirt, and if you start saying shit I swear to go-"

"You're really pretty." he blurted out, still looking at her. There was such a look of concern on her face as she looked at him like she actually cared. Her brows would furrow and a little crease would form in her forehead, and he could see the dent from where her teeth had been digging into her lips. Anne froze, like a radstag, her eyes going wide and the pink coming back on her cheeks. MacCready laughed, and Anne shook her head annoyed.

"Now's not the time Mac," she said grabbing his jaw and making him stop laughing and look at her. She looked annoyed.

"I'm taking your shirt off, it's going to hurt since I'm going to have to move your arm." he gazed at her face. The green in her eyes peering into him, trying to get him to focus, but he really couldn't with how close she was.

"Whatever you say boss," he mumbled, her hand moving from his jaw to the hemline of his shirt, her cold hands brushing his belly she started pulling his shirt up. He threw his head up, looking at the ceiling trying to keep his thoughts off the placement of her hands, though it was more difficult with the blood loss. She raised his one arm like she had said and he let out a loud groan. She mumbled a sorry before the shirt came off, and she placed it beside him. There was no movement for a while, and MacCready looked down at her.

She was sitting on her heels, examining him. Her eyes were going over the scars he had. He barely noticed them anymore; they were apart of him now. He couldn't even remember where they all had come from. Her eyes were on the bullet wounds on his hip.

"You know boss, If you wanted to just stare at me we could've gone somewhere more comfortable." he chuckled, and her eyes shot up at him, her face turning pink for the third time.

"Shut up Mac," she mumbled leaning forward and looking at the wounds with the light of her pipboy. Her face was close, and the flowery smell that followed her overcame him. He closed his eyes.

"Why do you smell so nice?" he mumbled, and he felt her fingers poke at the holes. He winced but said nothing.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I smell awful," she muttered, "I'd kill for a nice warm bath." she pulled back pulling a stimpak out of her pack.

"I think the closest you will get is a cold river," he muttered moving his head a bit. He noticed the feeling of her hand pressed against his stomach.

"I think I saw three bullets in there. I'm going to reach in now." she leaned forward again. MacCready nodded not thinking.

Her fingers went in the first opening, and he gritted his teeth, throwing his head back. _Oh yeah, this hurts like a bitch I forgot._ He heard her say something, and her fingers came out. He glanced down, seeing the bullet in his fingers. She looked up at him.

"Two more," she said, and MacCready just shook his head.

"Just make it quick," he grunted, and the other two bullets went like the first. He sat there, slamming his hand into the couch trying his best not to start yelling out curses as he wanted. Once she was done he took a deep breath, and she inserted the stimpak, the sharpness of it feels almost like a relief after the hell he'd just gone through. She pulled away from him, wiping her hands on the couch.

"There. We'll wait until you feel better then we can keep moving. Goodneighbor's about an hour away from here." he threw his arms out over the back of the couch, letting himself sink into it.

"Where did you learn to do that?" He asked, looking at the cracks on the ceiling.

"Nate had me take classes for field medics. Bullet removal was apart of that." he heard her call out from across the room.

"You were in the war?" He asked, his head shooting up and looking at her. She was doing something on her pipboy.

"No. He wanted me to take it in case the worst happened and we got invaded. Grateful looking back now I guess." she mumbled, her eyes quickly scanning over the screen.

"What time is it?" he asked, closing his eyes and letting his head hang back.

"It's about three in the afternoon." she sounded distracted.

"Daiseys closes at six," he said, and he heard Anne chuckle.

"We've got time." all that hung between them now was the radio.

 _One more tomorrow, to hold you in my embrace._

He moved his head up, glancing at her. She had her head hanging down, looking at the pipboy which was shining a green light on her.

 _And thrill with rapture, each time I look at your face._

She moved her head, her eyes meeting his. They sat frozen across from each other, just looking into each other.

 _One more tomorrow to see heaven in your eyes._

He didn't pull his eyes away; he just stared at the green looking back at him. He could see so much there he hadn't seen before. Pain, Loss, Desperation, and some happiness tucked in the back.

 _To have your hand cling to mine, and wander through paradise._

They sat there for a while; eyes fixed on one another as a song played over them. He was tempted to get up, walk over to her and...he didn't know. Hug her? Say thank you? He didn't know.

The song finished and it felt like MacCready had woken up. He sat up, grabbing his shirt and pulling it on.

"I'm feeling better boss, we should go." he reached for his green jacket, and she moved to grab her own. Travis was now stammering over the radio.

"You sure?" she said, sliding her coat over her shoulders.

"Yeah, but thanks for patching me up." he pulled his duster on, noticing the red stains in the shoulder now. _God, I lost a lot of blood._

"We'll just add it to your tab." he heard her say and looked over at her. She was adjusting the laces on her shoe, she looked up at him and grinned. He shook his head, pulling his cap down a bit.

"Come on boss, let's get this cure to Goodneighbor." he patted his chest, feeling the metal container that held something more precious than anything else in the commonwealth. They stepped out of the ruined building and into the ruined world.


	21. A white Christmas

**AN:** Happy holidays everyone! Here is the bonus holiday chapter. There is an emphasis on christmas, but not on the relgion. Anyways I hope you guys enjoy and all have a happy holday! Enjoy guys

* * *

Anne was sitting on the couch, curled up under the large blanket with the radio on. In her lap was her law text which she had now been reading for the past hour, unable to really focus on it. She had been waiting for Nate to come home.

 _I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas._

Maybe today wasn't the day to tell him, but she had been sitting on this for a few days now, and she felt ready to burst.

"Would you care for a beverage, madam?" Codsworth said from the kitchen, still preparing dinner.

 _Just Like the ones I used to know._

"Oh...sure Codsworth I'll have a peppermint tea." she took her glasses off rubbing her face with her hands.

Here in Boston, the only family they had was Nate's brother Charles, and he was currently in Anchorage. This was the first Christmas they would spend with just the two of them.

 _Where the tree-tops glisten'._

Not really the two of them though. Her hand slid to her stomach rest over it protectively. She'd gone to the doctor a few days ago, worried that she had now missed two periods. She had been afraid to tell Nate. With everything else going on in his life now with trying to get used to civilian life again, working, and seeing his doctor, she didn't want to add more stress to his life.

 _And Children listen to hear those sleigh bells in the snow._

But she couldn't hide this, she had to tell him. Christmas eve was as good a day as any? Right?

* * *

MacCready was sitting in the suite in Tenpenny Tower. He had never stayed in a place as nice, with a Mr. Handy offering him whatever he wanted, but here he was. When the Lone Wanderer had told him he could stay there any time he had never intended to take them up on that, but here he was.

It hadn't been his idea, Lucy had insisted. It had started lightly snowing, something that didn't happen too often, and it was cold out. With Duncan, they had decided to stop at the closest settlement they could, and Tenpenny it was. The place had gone through a lot in the past few years, from being overthrown by ghouls to now being a safe-haven for ghouls and humans, it was a lot different than when he had first seen it four years ago.

He laid on the comfortable bed, his arms tucked behind his head. Maybe he'd actually sleep tonight, depending on Duncan. Lucy was around the corner with him, and he could hear her talking to him as she changed him out of his warmer clothes. He closed his eyes listening to the sounds of them and Three-dog babbling in the background on the radio.

For the first time in the past few months, life felt...perfect.

* * *

The door opened and Anne turned quickly, seeing Nate walk in, stomping his feet knocking snow off.

 _I'm Dreaming of a white Christmas_

"Man is it coming down out there. They were trying to say it would be warm this winter." he pulled the hat off his head. He had dark brown hair, that was usually kept shaven, but recently he had grown it out a bit. His beard made his face look harder, and more square, though Anne knew that under that beard was a babyface. She smiled at him and his deep brown eyes smiled back. Nate leaned down, kissing her forehead.

 _With every Christmas card, I write._

"Hows reading going?" He asked pulling his jacket off and handing it too Codsworth who had floated over.

"Boring, I swear if I have to read one more case study I'm going to burn this damn thing." Nate laughed at that, making his way to the small liquor cabinet they kept and pouring himself a glass.

 _May your days be merry_

"Uh...Nate, I need to talk to you about something," she said shifting on the couch a bit, her hand resting on her stomach.

 _And bright._

"Uh oh, Jane didn't try to contact you did she?" he said over his shoulder, putting the cap back in the bottle and then walking over to her with it in her hand. He sat beside her, taking a sip.

 _And may all your Christmas' be white._

"No, it's actually good news. I think," she said smiling softly at him. Nate smiled back with his toothy grin leaning on the back of the couch. Anne took a deep breath, trying to get the words out.

"I'm pregnant."

* * *

Lucy walked in, Duncan in the crook of her elbow. MacCready looked at her and smiled. The light was getting caught in the curls of her hair, which had grown out in the past few months. She usually kept her hair in a small ponytail, but since Duncan had been born she hadn't kept up with trimming it, and now it was a wild curly black mane that she was always exasperated with. He loved it. When the light hit her like this it made her this dark figure, with a halo of light around her head. She smiled weakly back and handed him, Duncan.

MacCready took the small boy in his arms and looked down at him. His eyes were barely opened, and he had some of his fingers in his mouth. He was such a beautiful baby MacCready had a hard time believing he was his father. His skin was a deep caramel, a mix between his and Lucy's, but he looked just like his mother. He had Lucy's large lips and pointed nose. Really the only way you could tell Duncan was his was his blue eyes. Lucy had been so happy when those had stuck around.

He looked up at Lucy, who was laying on the bed on her side looking at him, a content look on her face. He reached his hand out and she took it, lacing their fingers between each other.

"You know I think it's Criss Miss," Lucy said looking up at him smiling softly.

"Chris-what?" he asked and Lucy chuckled.

"It's something my family celebrates. My dad said when it snows it's Criss Miss. I've only had maybe three Criss Misses but I think we can still celebrate it right?" She asked, her thumb running over the back of MacCready's hand.

"Well how do you celebrate it?" He asked looking back down at Duncan, who was now asleep.

"While Criss Miss is about this guy, and his name was Criss. He died, and we miss him, I think. That's how my dad put it. So because you miss him you spend time with the people you love and tell them how grateful you are for them because one day you might miss them, but at least you'll have the memories of Criss Miss together," she said looking up at him. Her dark brown eyes were pools into her soul.

"Well, I don't plan on you missing me for a long time," Lucy rolled her eyes, "But yeah, I think we can do that." he smiled and Lucy smiled back.

Criss Miss was getting off to a good start.

* * *

 _I'm Dreaming of a white Christmas_

"Nate?" Anne said softly, waving her hand in front of his face. He hadn't moved now, just looking at her dazed.

"Nate? Did you hear me? Are you okay? I'm sorry, I should've waited." she placed her hands on her face.

 _Just like the ones I used to know._

"What? No this is great!" Anne looked up, Nate had the giant smile on his face and his voice sounded elated.

"Oh thank god. I was terrified that this would be too much with you coming home not long ago...and work." Anne smiled leaning towards Nate and resting her head against his arm and letting out a long breath.

 _Where the Treetops glisten'_

"No, this is great! This is the best news we could've gotten! I mean I know with your school this might be difficult, but you'll be done school soon, and we can work together to take care of...do you know if its a boy or a girl?" He looked at her belly, placing his hand on her stomach gently. She placed her hand over it.

"No, I mean...The doctor says I'm about two months...and I'll bet you it happened that time we went to your ceremony." She smirked and Nate looked up at her, a surprised look on his face.

 _And Children listen_

"You mean at the park?" Nate laughed shaking his head. Anne laughed with Nate, feeling more relaxed then she had since found out.

"Yeah I think at the park."

 _To hear sleigh bells in the snow_

* * *

"So how do we start this?" MacCready asked, placing Duncan in the small crib they had brought. Lucy was still on the bed behind him.

"Well I'll start; This year I'm very grateful that we're still both here, and that we have Duncan and everything with him went smoothly. I'm happy both of us are healthy and happy, and that we're moving too...god knows where. For a fresh start...for all of us." Lucy was smiling at him, sitting on the bed, clutching a pillow to her chest.

"Well...that's a lot to live up to huh?" He chuckled and laid on the bed. He rubbed his chin, feeling the scruff under his fingers. _Should shave._

"Well...I guess I'm glad I have you...and Duncan. I mean, I've never had...this. I've never had Criss Miss, or a family, or...this much happiness," he looked at Lucy who was giving him that look that made his heart melt, "I'm just grateful I found you, and that no matter what we're on this journey. Together." he smiled taking her hand in his. Lucy smiled and then waved her hand on her face.

"God, you're going to make me cry, Rob." She shook her head, the curls on her head bouncing.

"It's true though! If it wasn't for you...who knows where I would be." He said softly looking up at Lucy. The lights of the room illuminated her perfect features.

She rolled over and started rifling through her pack.

"What are you doing?" MacCready asked propping himself up to see what she was grabbing.

"Stop that!" she said playfully, kicking him with her foot lightly. She was in there for a while before standing up.

"Come on." She reached her hand out to him, and MacCready looked at her confused.

"Where?" He asked. Lucy giggled in response.

"We never get snow...just come look at it with me...for a second." normally MacCready would've protested, even just a bit, but he couldn't fight her. He took her hand and she took them out the doors.

The Capital Wasteland had a faint white tint to it. It barely snowed, and when it did it was just a thin layer. It made everything look odd though like it was clean.

"Why are we out here? I'm freezing my ass off," he grumbled, Lucy laughed and wrapped her arm around him and pulled him close to her.

"There, I'll keep you warm." She said happily. He wrapped his arm around her.

They stood there for a few minutes, looking out over the land, seeing some movement, and flashes where the was gunfire. It was easy to forget that even when the whole world seems to freeze, it kept moving. He found himself looking out, towards where Megaton was, thinking of how far they had come since they'd left there. It had only been a few days, but it felt a lifetime ago now.

"Hey...Rob." He heard Lucy's voice distantly, he hummed in response.

"I uh...I got you something. I was going to save it, but during Criss Miss, my dad used to get us gifts so…" MacCready looked down at her, confused.

There in her hand was a small wooden carving of a solider. Painted and everything with a little face. His eyes went wide as he looked at it and gently picked it up.

"Lucy...you didn't have to-"

"I know I didn't, but I did. When I was pregnant I was bored, and I just wanted to make you something, and a sniper rifle didn't feel right...but well….you gave up being a soldier for me," he felt the sting when she said that "and I know you can never have that back...but maybe I can give that back to you like this."

The way Lucy was looking at him made MacCready feel cold knowing he had lied. He'd tell her the truth one day, but he'd wait until things were more stable. For now, he just wrapped his arms around Lucy, holding her against him.

"How did I get this lucky?" he said, kissing her forehead. Lucy laughed and turned her head up towards him.

"You must've had some amazing karma." she smiled and moved her face closer and kissed him.

MacCready liked Criss Miss, whatever it was.

* * *

 _I'm Dreaming of a white Christmas._

Anne and Nate sat curled up beside each other on the couch. A blanket was thrown over them and Codsworth was finishing up dinner. Anne was sipping on her tea, and Nate was finishing his drink. He sat beside her, and he had his head resting against hers.

 _With every Christmas card, I write._

"I can't believe that next year, it'll be the three of us. Our family." Nate's hand moved to her stomach, rubbing it tenderly. Anne smiled looking up at Nate. She could see the excitement and joy behind his eyes. All her unease and fear had melted away. They still had a long way to go as a family, but this was the first step.

 _May your days be Merry and Bright,_

Anne smiled closing her eyes and listening to the sound of calm over their home. Anne didn't know where they would be in a year. But no matter where they were, they would be together, and that was what mattered.

 _And may all your Christmases be white._

* * *

 ** _AN:_** Happy holidays everyone. I will see you next Tuesday and stay safe and warm, where ever you are. A


	22. Treat her right

Merry Christmas to anyone who celebrates, here's a gift for everyone. Also for a sidenote: The song Sunflower from the new Spiderverse film I think really kinda...summarizes Anne and Mac's relationship, so if you kind of want a musical thing for this chapter give it a listen.

* * *

They got to Goodneighbor with no issue other than a couple of super mutants. They'd gotten the cure to Daisy right as she was preparing to close up shop. She'd been just as thrilled and MacCready had been and they had now found themselves at the third rail.

 _Back where this all started._

Anne was looking around the place, at the people, and MacCready started heading to the bar, Anne not far behind him.

"Okay let me do all the talking in here, Whitey! How are you?" Charlie turned to face him. The robot didn't need a face to show his annoyance.

"As I live and beep. MacCready. You hear to finally settle your tab?" MacCready reached in his pocket for his stash of caps.

"Yep, a hundred caps right? I got it all right here." he placed the caps on the table, Anne taking a seat at the bar watching the exchange.

"Oh no. MacCready I told you...a hundred caps covered the finders fee, but you still owe me for the disposal." MacCready looked at him confused before he realized, _Oh yeah...shit,_ "I'll tell you what. For old times sake, I'll let the debt go. But you owe me a favor." He was already pouring MacCready a drink. He walked by Anne and sat beside her.

"Yeah yeah, you're all heart Whitechapel," he looked at Anne who was looking at the alcohol behind the bar, "And a beer for the lady." he said and Whitechapel muttered something about saying please as he pushed the glass towards MacCready. He smiled taking a sip and looked at Anne. She was watching Magnolia sing, looking mesmerized.

"Didn't you hear it when you came and hired me?" he asked, looking up at Anne. She shook her head, just watching Magnolia singing. Magnolia finished and walked over, her eyes on Anne. _I know that look; like when a deathclaw spots you._

"Hmm? What's the matter sweetheart? Don't tell me you didn't like the song?" She leaned on the bar winking at MacCready. He raised his drink at her. _Let's see where this goes._

"I loved the song, It was perfect." Anne leaned towards Magnolia, Charlie pushed a drink towards Mags and a beer towards Anne. MacCready sitting behind Anne could see the tension that had suddenly formed between them. _What's going on?_

"She's one of the reasons why this place is such a great place to lie low," MacCready said from behind Anne. Magnolia waved her hand at him, smiling.

"Oh thank you, a girl tries her best," she moved her body closer to Anne, "Now there's something special about you isn't there? Don't tell me, let me guess…"Magnolia looked at Anne intently, her eyes going over her features slowly, analyzing her.

"You got the cocky smirk of a gambler, I can relate. Lady luck is probably my second favorite lover," Magnolia chuckled into her drink and taking a long sip, "So what brings a woman like you to my part of town."

 _This is getting interesting._ He noted Magnolias hand now sitting on Anne's arm. Anne didn't seem to mind.

"Me? Playing a game. First idiot who grabs my ass gets his arm broken. Ten points if he's drunk." MacCready chuckled at that, seeing Anne glance over her shoulder at him, like she was being reminded he was there. Magnolia let out a light laugh.

"Sounds like the beginining of a great song," she moved her arm up, inching even closer to Anne, "I think you and I are going to get along," she pulled back now, taking a sip of her drink, "So it's my turn to answer questions right? What can i do for you?"

"I was wondering if we could get to know each other better," Anne said in a low voice, leaning towards Magnolia. _Holy shit is she hitting on Mags?_

MacCready was floored and Magnolia finished her drink and looked slyly at Anne, "Oh really? Go on…" she rest her face in the palm of her hand, looking at Anne with that look in her eyes MacCready had only seen a handful of times.

"You. Me. An evening walk under the street lights." MacCready felt a sweat at the back of his neck as the watched the two women. It felt like there was enough electricity right now it would send Whitechapel on the fritz. Magnolia placed her hand on Anne's leg.

"And then what?" Magnolia purred, the curiosity in her voice. She sounded like a cat.

"Music," Anne muttered under her breath, Magnolia's whole body seemed to relax with that.

"I knew you were something special, all right, let me get my coat." Magnolia said, starting to turn.

"Good job boss," MacCready muttered into her ear, Anne spun, looking at him as if she was seeing him for the first time and then letting out a sigh.

"Maybe not tonight Magnolia...but maybe next time," she said and Magnolia laughed glancing at MacCready and back at Anne.

"You better treat her right Mac, because if not I will." Magnolia sauntered her way to the stage and MacCready looked at Anne confused.

"Thought thats what you were looking for?" MacCready said, as Magnolia started her next number. Anne glanced at him taking a sip of her beer.

"Maybe not tonight." she mumbled into her beer, before turning to focus on Magnolia up on the stage, singing again. MacCready felt odd looking at the back of Anne's neck.

 _You better treat her right._

They drank for a few more hours, chatting with Magnolia and passing a cigarette. Anne didn't explain where she came from, instead, they spoke to Magnolia about the fights they had been in, and she laughed when Anne explained pulling the bullets out of MacCready earlier.

"I had lost a lot of blood!" he exclaimed, feeling the alcohol in his head, making everything muddy.

"You called me pretty." Anne teased, taking another beer from Charlie.

"He's not wrong beautiful." Magnolia said handing the cigarette to MacCready. Anne rolled her eyes.

"It's not what I want to hear when I'm pulling bullets out of someone though." MacCready took a drag watching Anne take a sip of her beer.

"When would you want to hear it then?" MacCready asked, leaning on the bar. Anne glanced at him.

"Probably when your sober." she said, before taking the cigarette from his mouth.

"Remind me when I'm sober then." he muttered, taking a sip of his drink.

Magnolia laughed at them, "A lady shouldn't have to remind a man that she's beautiful," she turned her eyes back to Anne, "right?"

Anne nodded and Magnolia started walking towards the stage again, leaving MacCready and Anne at the bar. She put the cigarette out and down her beer quickly before looking at MacCready, "Should we hit the hay?" she asked and MacCready watched Magnolia over her shoulder before looking back at Anne.

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea." he said polishing off his drink and standing up.

"Put it on my tab Charlie." he shouted following Anne out of the bar.

"You just cleared it off!" Charlie yelled at him and MacCready waved his hand running up the stairs behind Anne. He noticed how as they walked that men seemed to watch her as she walked by. _Can't blame them._

They walked down the street, laughing and he followed behind her watching her walk. His eyes fell on her hips. _They don't usually move that much do they._ He noticed how wide her hips were, and his eyes started making their way down, realizing her coat covered her figure. He moved his eyes back up to her waist, spotting the holes in her shirt showing her belly.

"Hey Mac my eyes are up here." she said and his eyes moved up to her face. She was smirking at him. He caught up to her feeling his ears start to burn up.

"I was...nevermind," he said hurridly making his way past her. She was still laughing as they entered, Anne made her way to the counter where Clair stood.

"Can I get a room?" Anne said, a chuckle in her voice.

"Payment due up front. 10 caps." Clair said

"Fine. Here's your caps." Anne said handing the caps over. Clair greedily took them.

"The room is on the top floor, When you come to the hallway it's the last one on the right," she looked behind Anne at MacCready who was standing a bit lopsided, "Keep the noise down," she said handing Anne the key. Anne took it before making her way past her up the stairs. MacCready tipped his hat at Clair who seemed to ignore him. They made their way up through the silent giant of a building until they got to the room. Anne opened it with the key, struggling a bit with it before the door opened. She stepped in before him, already pulling her jacket off. He shut the door behind him and went and laid on his back on the bed. It was a double, he could actually sleep tonight and not be pressed up against her. _Is that so bad?_

He pulled her shoes off and laid beside him in her shorts and ripped up shirt.

They laid there for a bit, looking up at the cracked ceiling in silence for a bit, MacCready trying to process his thoughts, figure out what he wanted.

"You want to listen to that song you heard this morning?" she said and he looked at her.

"If you want to share it with me," he said and she reached into her back pocket, pulling out a ruined holotape. It was cracked and covered in dirt. She put it in her pipboy and laid back down beside them. Her arms were pressed against him and he enjoyed the feeling of her skin against him.

The song started and he listened, laying beside Anne.

As the man sang from her pipboy he realized he missed Lucy. _When's the last time I thought that._ She'd been gone for 2 years now, but he still missed her. He'd thought about moving on, but he hadn't met anyone that made him feel the same way. Made him feel whole.

He glanced over at Anne, she was staring at the ceiling still, her lips moved with the words.

 _Her beauty in the moonlight, overthrew you._

Anne made him feel different. Not the same way Lucy had. He'd never be whole again, he realized that. He'd always have this piece missing that disappeared with Lucy. He realized that now.

 _She broke your throne, she cut your hair._

Her lips moved around the hallelujah and he looked back up at the roof. He recognized the part that started. What he had heard the other day.

Anne made him feel different, but he couldn't place it. The hole in his heart was managable when she was around. It was like she was placing her hand over the hole, stopping the pain and sharing it with him. Making him feel less alone then he'd felt since Lucy died.

 _I've seen your flag on the marble arch._

He reached out with his hand, finding hers. He took it in his. Her soft hand. Her fingers laced with his and they laid there, holding hands; His finger over the band on her finger, feeling the cold metal.

 _Remember when I moved in you, the holy dove was moving to._

Should he feel guilty? Laying here holding Anne's hand, listening to a sad song that made her think of her dead husband? He didn't. He didn't feel bad, for the first time in a long while, laying there. Would Lucy's ghost be mad? Seeing him start to move forward again with his life.

 _Maybe there's a god above._

He turned his head, glancing at her. She was looking at him, her lips still moving with the song. She was looking at him with an odd look in her eyes, one he hadn't seen in a very long time. He sucked back a breath. She rolled to face him, her hand on his cheek, looking deep into his eyes. He didn't move, frozen like a radstag, as she had been earlier.

The two laid there, looking at each other, her eyes pouring into his own. _I'm drunk._ The song tapered off and she pulled her hand away, he almost reached for it. Keeping it there. But he didn't, not wanting to disturb what ever was between them. She rolled back, looking at the ceiling.

He wasn't sure how long they laid like that, his hand eventually going up to the solider he kept in his pocket. Where he had put the cure. He placed in between his fingers, rubbing the soliders cap, thinking to himself.

"I've been...waiting for the right time to talk to you, and I suppose this is as good of a time as any." he said, breaking the silence. She turned her head and MacCready sat up, rubbing the little solider in his pocket under his thumb.

"After helping me get Duncan's cure from MedTek I figure I owe you something...and I always pay my debts," He raised the little solider in his hand to her as she sat up, "here, I wanted you to have this." she took it in her hands gently, looking at it curiously.

"I know a carved toy solider is a strange reward for risking you life, but this one's special. It means a lot to me." He watched her fingers run over the toys face, examining it with her hands like she always did. Seeing her care for the solider made him feel...full.

"If it's special to you, then it's a thoughtful gift," she held it to her chest and smiled at him softly, "Thank you."

"You're welcome," he laid back pulling his cap off and tucked his arm behind his head, "Just be sure you don't lose it." He noticed one of the cracks branched off, leading the corner of the room.

"My wife Lucy gave it to me right after we met. I...I uh told her I was a solider and she made it for me," the words came out and he had no control over it, they just spilled, "Never could bring myself to tell her the truth...that I was just a hired killer," he could hear the sadness in his voice, he should've told her, "The solider story was the best thing I could come up with. I didn't want to lose her because of what I was."

Anne laid beside him, holding the solider tightly to her chest, "I'm sure you had good intentions." the words came out of her quietly and he noticed how she had moved further from him.

"I had a feeling you'd get where I was coming from," he shifted his arm a bit _h_ ere _it comes,_ "It doesn't really matter anymore...she died a few years back." he heard her let out a long breath, like she had been holding it in.

"We made the mistake of holing up in a metro station one night. We didn't know that the place was infested with ferals," he let out a long sigh, "They were on her before I could even fire a shot. Ripped her apart right in front of me. There was nothing I could do." he could still hear it sometimes, her screaming his name, as they ripped into her flesh. He closed his eyes, trying to push the image out of his head.

"Took everything I had to escape with Duncan in my arms. Maybe it would be have been better if we'd died there with her." he said it softly and he felt her head shift, to look at him shaking her head.

"You may have lost your wife, but you saved your son. That counts for something." Anne said softly, and MacCready sighed.

"Maybe, I don't know anymore….Damn I miss Lucy." he said opening his eyes, again.

"No matter how bad things got...she was always there with a shoulder to lean on," he looked down, seeing Anne stare up at him, he could see a pain in her eyes for him, "It gave me...well it gave me the courage I needed to press ahead...to never give up. When she died I thought that feeling was gone forever….then I met you." he rolled over, looking at Anne, and she rolled over as well, they laid on the bed facing one another.

"You have the worlds problems on your back and here you are helping me with mine...lending me your shoulder. Like Lucy did. I just...I want you to know how much your friendship means to me." he saw her mouth open, and then close. She moved her hand to the side of his face for the second time that night.

"I was...hoping...what we have together…" her cheeks started turning red, "could be more then friendship." MacCready's ears went red and he sat up trying to think.

 _Did she just say what I think she said?_

 _She want's this to be more than friendship?_

 _What does that mean?_

 _Does she want to be with me?_

 _Do I want to be with her?_

"I...I don't know," he stammered out Anne sitting up beside him, "I mean...I never thought of us that way." _Wasn't technically a lie._ He looked at her.

"What about your husband? I know he's gone but you still love him don't you?" he stammered. She shift sitting on her knee's and moving closer to MacCready. Her eyes had this look in them, of fear. He didn't like that.

"It might be difficult for me, but I think I can make our relationship work," as she said the words the world seemed to melt away. It was just them looking at each other. _What do I want._ He thought looking at her. A part of him wanted to move closer, another part wanted to just leave.

"I...I don't know." he managed to say, the world coming back. She didn't look dissapointed though she just nodded.

"Could you...could give me some time? I'm not saying no...I mean you're…" he ran his hand over his face, "Shit I sound like an asshole." he muttered and he felt a hand come up to his own and he peaked over his fingers at her. She was smiling at him. Not a large smile, just an understanding smile.

"I've waited two hundred years Robert. I can wait as long as you need." she pulled her hand away and laid on the bed by the wall, curling up away from him.

He pulled his duster off, and his shoes laying beside her, staring at the roof. He couldn't tell if she was asleep, his mind was swimming. He just saw her face in his mind, looking at him saying she wanted more then a friendship. _Could I even give that?_ He tought, turning his head and seeing the back of her own.

 _Why me?_ She was a beautiful woman, why would she go for...him? He ran his tongue over his teeth, feeling the chips, holes, and the stuff that had built up on them. He'd seen her teeth, they were white and straight. He'd never seen someone with white teeth before he met people from vaults.

He looked at his hands, seeing the calluses on his palms. He'd held her hands, and while calluses were forming on her own hands as well, her hands still were smooth and delicate. The wastes would change that, he knew that, but he had seen her, before the wastes had touched her. Before the scar appeared on her head, and before her nose had been broken.

 _She called me Robert._

* * *

 **AN:** I know in game, MacCready instantly agrees to be your partner, and I know I said I wanted to stick with in-game dialogue, I do; BUT MacCready very CLEARLY is still suffering from depression in the game, as someone who suffers from it as well, you can tell with some of the things he says occasionally. He's still very depressed and I think that is clear, and story wise I think MacCready would want some time to figure out where he is mentally and what he wants, because well I think for all of us it is VERY clear what he wants, he's still unsure, which is how life works and that is 100% okay.

ANYWAYS HAPPY HOLIDAYS! Thanks for reading!


	23. You make me happy

**AN:**

* * *

MacCready wasn't sure when he'd woken up, but Anne was sitting on the end of the bed, by his feet. She was going through her pack.

"Good morning," he said sitting up and yawning, she turned and looked at him. He saw her face and he suddenly remembered everything from last night.

 _More than friendship._

He felt his ears start to turn red, remembering laying on the bed with her, staring at her, her eyes melting into him. Her hand on his face. Giving her Lucy's soldier and trying to figure out what he wanted to do.

 _What do I want?_

"Uh I…." she looked at him confused before reaching in her bag and pulling out the box of sugar bombs they had been eating the other day.

"Figured we could eat and then head to Diamond City. Nick should have a lead on that chip thing by now." She said, pouring a handful into her hand, handing the rest to him.

MacCready quickly grabbed the box from her hands digging his hands in. He nodded pulling out a small handful and shoving it in his mouth.

 _Why is she acting so normal? Does she not remember it?_

He looked up, watching her pull her jacket on, before reaching beside her and her hands clasped around the little soldier which she placed in a pocket near her chest on her coat. As soon as he saw the soldier he knew the answer.

 _She doesn't want me to feel weird._

MacCready watched as she turned to face him, Sugar bombs in her hand as she started picking at them. He wasn't sure what to say.

"How you feeling?" he managed to mumble out. She looked at him and nodded.

"Slept better then I have in a while, so I'm feeling alright. How you feeling?" she asked peering at him.

"I'm okay," he said into his cereal. He heard an irritated sigh and he looked down at the sugar bombs in his hand.

"Sorry if I made it weird okay. I had to say it. It was eating up at me and I just...I had to get it out. You don't have to treat me differently. You can just forget I said anything." The last words came out sadly and her eyes came up sad.

"I can't just...forget it," her eyes came up meeting his and it felt like the world was melting again, "I just need to sort out how I feel...I don't wanna do this unless I know that I can give it my all." He sighed resting the sugarbombs on the ground. She nodded

"Just don't start tip-toeing around me please." she pleaded, pulling herself up, her shoes already on. MacCready couldn't answer, she was out the door before he could process what she said.

 _You know what you want._

He shook his head, looking at the box of sugarbombs. He wanted to chase after her, apologize. But he knew that was exactly what she didn't want. She wanted him to treat her like she normally would.

 _Just act...normal._

He pulled the rest of his clothes on, looking at the box of sugar bombs resting on his leg. He picked it up, closing the nearly empty box and standing up. He grabbed his rifle, slinging it over his shoulder and glancing back at the bed he had been lying on. He remembered laying there, just thinking of the song that had played between them, of that feeling of nothing but her and him, the world and its problems gone.

 _But that's where Duncan is._ The guilt washed over him and MacCready quickly turned, making his way out of the room.

He made his way down the hallway, passing empty rooms. He heard voices up ahead.

 _Why me?_ She had the pick of anyone in the wastes, and she was interested in the guy who had a son he had abandoned, a wife he let die, who she found moping in the third rail drinking. Why in her right mind would she pick him? He turned the corner seeing Anne speaking to some ghoul

"No Commonwealth settlement wants a ghoul with 200 years vault-tec experiance." The ghouls raspy voice let out, a sadness in his voice. _What did I walk in on._

Anne shifted her weight to her other foot, "Hey, you know you could head back to Sanctuary. I'll come visit. I promise."

"Really? You...you will?" The ghouls eyes lit up and MacCready let out a sigh, leaning against the wall behind them, "Okay. I'll head over there right now. You promise to come visit right? I'll see you there!" The ghoul smiled walking towards the room behind it, almost running. Anne turned, and she started making her way down the stairs.

"You ever have a stray before?" he asked falling in behind her, She looked back at him, and annoyed look on her face.

"He's a person, not a dog," MacCready started opening his mouth but she cut him off, "Anyways, he got my family in that vault...because of him Shaun is still alive." she said those last words softly.

"What are you talking about boss?" he asked, as they made it to the bottom floor and started heading out.

"He's prewar too. Right before the bombs dropped...not even five minutes he came to the door selling Vault-space," she let out a sad chuckle, "I remember being so annoyed. We had some ceremony or something for Nate that night. First time I'd gone out since Shaun was born and I was so excited." they walked out the doors and MacCready felt a sad twinge hit him.

"They didn't let that guy in though?" MacCready asked, the sun shining on them as they walked through the streets of Goodneighbor.

"Yeah. Kind of shitty," she said and MacCready nodded. He didn't know what she was saying, and he could see the cloud hang over her. An actual piece of her old life had come up walking and talking. _A slap to the face._

He gritted his teeth, partially wanting to go and yell at the guy for doing this to her. _Why am I so mad?_

"We can get to Diamond city in about an hour and a half," she said this and his head snapped out of it. He looked up at her, and she looked at him like she normally did. The cloud had disapatted. He nodded and they made their way onto the street of goodnighbot. She stopped, tuning her radio and started walking her rifle in her hands.

"He,y boss?" He said and she turned and looked at him a confused look on her face.

"What...what are you going to do once you find Shaun." he wanted to know. He'd been wanting to know for a while. He wanted to know what she wanted to do after all of...this.

"I...I've got Sturges working on red rocket...he's going to add a room to the roof. I don't really know where else...Sanctuary feels wrong." she said softly rubbing her face.

"Makes sense, it's got good farming landed, and right near the community." small though.

She shrugged, "I've got a lot more important things before I can think of that." she said stepping over the broken street. She moved precisely now. Last time he walked this street she hadn't been as aware of her surroundings, but now she walked like she'd been out here for years.

"What about you Mac? I thought you'd head back home once you got the cure," she said looking up at him. _Why didn't I go home?_

"I think...I think I'm going to stick around for a bit...I'm still not sure what I wanna do," _now even more so_ "Maybe I'll move here, I don't know yet...I'm going to wait until Duncan's better, then I'm going to go see how he feels."

She looked back down the road, "I hope you stay here." she said and MacCready slowed his pace, following behind her. _More than friendship._ His ears turned pink and he felt his head trying to make sense of what he wanted to say.

"Why me?" he blurted out and froze, tensing up. _Why the hell did I say that?_ She froze herself, turning to look at him.

"You're the only person out here who understands how much it hurts. You look at me and I see the only other person who knows what it's like to...lose the world," she looked at her feet, shifting uncomfortably, "And even in this...fucked up ruined world, your the only thing that makes me happy."

He just looked at her, trying to figure out what he should do, Did he hug her? That felt like he was giving her a message he wasn't ready for. He settled for smiling at her.

"You make me happy to boss," he said and he saw her face light up. She took a step forward, approaching but then she stopped. Looking at him and her face going through a bunch of weird expressions, her face turning pink and she turned on her heels, quickly walking away from him.

 _Should I have said something else…_

They were walking for a while, running into super mutants occasionally, it was no problem with the two of them. They were quickly becoming unstoppable with the two of them. She would switch between the rifle and the revolver easily, and he found himself watching her sometimes. He was shaken out of it when a bullet whizzed past his eyes and he felt wall behind him start to shake at the feeling of bullets hitting it.

They continued for walking, talking about their plans once they reached Diamond city. He wanted noodles, and Anne wanted to pick up some ammo and stimpaks before they went to see Nick.

He looked up, and there beside him was a building with the word HUBRIS written in bright letters. He recognized the name and looked up, where a billboard was on top.

"That's the silver shroud...and there's grognak!" he pointed up at the billboard and Anne looked up and then over at him.

"Hubris comics...yeah they're the people who made the Grognak comics," she raised her pipboy, looking for something, "Been meaning to stop here...Kent asked me to get the shroud costume," she mumbled and MacCready's eyes lit up.

She started making her way to the blue door and MacCready felt like a kid again entering hubris comics.


	24. Sounds like a good time

**AN:** Hope you guys enjoy this chapter.

* * *

The building was ruined, with holes in walls and furniture just thrown around. The two of them made their way slowly through the room, trying to keep their eyes peeled for Ghouls. He took a step forward, and then Ghouls started coming out of the woodwork. Anne had been in front of him, and she crouched instantly, and the two of them quickly managed to take out these ghouls. When he had fought ghouls by himself , he had always felt that rage, images of Lucy in his head. Now though with Anne, it was like shooting anything else. It didn't take long, soon the floor was clear. Anne stood up and started walking around, and MacCready started rifling through comics entered. Anne at one point walked up beside him, watching as he went through the comics.

"If I could only find the issue where Mastadonald and Skullpocalypse teamed up to fight Grognak, I'd have a complete set." she laughed at that and MacCready felt his ears get red. _She probably thinks that's childish._

She started looking with him, picking her way through the comics.

"I used to read La Fantoma in high school. I haven't found a single copy now," she said moving to his right. He looked up at her and scoffed.

"You read comics?" he asked and she nodded.

"I'd hang out with my friends and we'd smoke. I usually had a bottle of wine," she laughed to herself rubbing her chins, "we didn't even use glasses we just drank it from the bottle."

"Sounds like a good time." he said moving around to another rack.

"Managed to graduate on honour roll too. Parents couldn't get mad at me if my grades stayed up." she looked up at him a sly smirk on her face, taking some of the comics and placing them in her pack.

"What?" he asked raising an eyebrow at her.

"I was thinking I should grab some comics, we can grab a bottle of wine and read them," she said, looking back down picking up a comic and flipping through it before putting it in her pack.

"Make it whiskey and you've got a deal." he chuckled and Anne smiled at him widely, looking back at the comics again.

 _This must look weird._ Two grown adults, with children, rifling through comics, talking about drinking, in a ruined store. He chuckled quietly to himself before sighing disappointedly.

"It's not here." He grumbled, kicking the rack in front of him slightly. Anne glanced up at him before pointing over her shoulder. He looked over, seeing a doorway with they headed up the stairs ,she went behind the till, finding a key and checking out the door there that she entered. He didn't follow her, just looking behind the counter. He was just looking when his eyes went wide.

Anne came back out and he looked up, "could you open this?" He asked excitedly. Anne walked over, looking down at the cabinet. She let out a long whistle.

"Grognaks axe," she said squatting to look at the lock, she shook her head "I'll need more practice before I can pick that. Sorry."

 _Damn._

He sighed, "I'll come back for you." He said softly to the axe and Anne chuckled. The two of them started up the stairs.

The second floor was covered in desks, chairs, strewn paper, and ghouls. Anne crouched in front of him, pulling out Kellogg's pistol. _Weird seeing that_.

They were doing alright until one ghoul slipped past both of her shots, MacCready was still lining up the shot when it grabbed her. It slammed her body into the ground, and he felt anger bubble in him. He kicked his foot, hooking it under the chin. The ghoul's body lurched up and Anne managed to get her right arm free, and placed the pistol against the ghouls head. She fired and the ghoul flew backwards with a loud bang. He looked down at her, ghoul's guts covered her.

"Just washed this." She grumbled, and MacCready chuckled, putting his hand out to pull her up. She took his hand and pulled herself up, shaking her arms to try and get some guts off.

She got up and they looked around. _No more ghouls._

"You've got something on your face." He said, reaching forward and wiping some of the blood off her cheek with his sleeve. He didn't realize what he was doing until her hand came up to his forearm. He looked from the blood on her cheek to her eyes. _God, they're always so bright._

She peered back at him and his hand stopped. She pressed her face into his palm and he felt his head start to swim.

 _Why not?_

He almost kissed her, until the image of Lucy came to his mind.

 _That's why._

He pulled his hand away and cleared his throat, "we should uh...keep looking." He said looking out one of the blown out windows.

"Yeah." Came quietly from infront of him and he heard her start walking away.

 _I'm an asshole._

He started going through the desk drawers looking for the comic. Other then the radio, silence hung over them. He didn't know what to say. ' _Sorry I thought of my dead wife but I really wanted to kiss you'_ didn't have the ring he was looking for.

"Hey." He turned his head looking over.

 _GROGNAK ISSUE 64, THE TERRIBLE TWO_

MacCready nearly flipped a desk over running over to her and snatching the comic. It was more damaged then he would've liked, but it was still the comic he was looking for. He started flipping through pages, some parts weren't legiable, that was fine though. Chance of him finding a better copy were slim. He looked up at Anne, who was leaning against the desk smirking at him. He could've...hugged her? Kissed her? He just held the comic in his hands and looked at her smiling.

"I can't believe you found it." she rolled her eyes, making her way through the rest of the floor.

"You would've found it eventually." she said, walking slowly and he found himself staring at her hips again. He just kept looking until she turned suddenly and looked at him. The pistol was out of the holster on her hip, now in her hand.

"You coming?" she asked and MacCready nodded, rolling the comic up and placing it in his pocket. They continued scavenging around the floor, finding some dead bodies here and there, and Anne was finding items and placing them in her pack. She would find workable terminals, going through them and reading them, her mouth moving as she read. She did that a lot he noticed. _Cute._

They went up another flight of stairs and MacCready looked at her, "So what are you looking for?" he asked, as she rummaged through some drawers after taking out a few ghouls.

"Some guy in Good Neighbor asked me to get the shroud costume and a few other things. I've got a signed autograph but he really wanted the costume." she muttered, walking into another room, Anne was going through a filing cabinet.

"Oh some nerd," he said and Anne looked up at him, her eyebrows raised, "Grognaks different. Everyone I know likes Grognak comics. I never even heard of the Silver Shroud before I came to the commonwealth." he picked up a unstoppables comic and flipped through it.

"The shroud was way more popular then Grognak." she said looking on top of a set of cabinets.

"What? Grognak is so much better. The shrouds not bad, but he's no Grognak." Anne shook her head.

"I'm telling you, La Fantoma was the best," she picked up a comic and placed it in her pack, "Underappreciated series." Anne sighed, shaking her head.

They went through the rest of the floor in comfortable silence, looking for comics. The few that were legible MacCready would give Anne. They hadn't found a single one of those comics Anne wanted. She didn't seem to mind though he heard her humming sometimes when he got close. She seemed to hum when she was comfortable.

They moved slowly, and Anne had switched to her rifle, now just using the bayonet if they got close to any ghouls, and MacCready was shooting behind her. At one point a ghoul had dived for her, she managed to get her Bayonet into it's head, but she fell backward slamming into his knee's. MacCready had fallen when her head hit, and more ghouls had come running at them. Instead of wasting time getting up he'd stayed sitting on the ground shooting from a lower angle. Anne had started pulling herself up, getting in the way of his rifle. HE'd instinctvly reached out, pulling her body back against him. He didn't realize until all the ghouls were gone her head was on his lap. She was just staring up at him as he shot. He looked down at her before realizing the position they were in. He pulled himself up as quickly as he could, helping her to her feet and apologizing. She said nothing just continued looking through the building, though he noticed that she seemed to keep her distance from him now. He wasn't sure how he felt about that.

They came to a final set of stairs, and he could see lights on.

"What do you think is up there?" she asked peering up there.

"I don't know. Could be nothing," he said creeping his way forward. He could already see a few ghouls, and he shot one through the head. He was picking off a second when a glowing one came out from behind something.

"Oh sh-crap," he moved his way down the stairs, looking at Anne, "There's another glowing one. You got any mines?" she shook her head. He sighed, trying to decide what to do.

"Follow me," she said and she started up the stairs. He turned watching her make her way up. He reached out to grab her hand, but he missed.

"Wait!" he whispered but she kept moving and he followed. He watched her stare at the glowing one before raising her gun at it, and fired. The ghouls head flung backwards before it looked at her and snarled. He was raising his own rifle before seeing the other ghoul he had been focusing on earlier, it now running at Anne. She now had a ghoul, which he now noticed was one of those mutated ones, and a glowing one coming at her at a fast speed. She fired at the glowing one again.

"Anne!" he shouted, but she didn't hear it as the glowing one dived at her, she slid her body to the left, towards the mutated ghoul.

"Coming your way!" she shouted, and it took him only a second to realize what she meant. The glowing one was flying down the stairs. MacCready quickly raised his rifle, sending a bullet through the glowing ones head. It rolled down the stairs and MacCready made his way up. The glowing one landed on the ground with a thud behind him. MacCready turned towards the stairs, as the glowing one pulled its self up. MacCready fired at it again.

"Mac!" Anne shouted, he glanced back at her, and he saw on the end of her bayonet was the mutated ghoul which had gone limp now. She tossed something at him with her left hand and he caught it looking at it.

 _A grenade._

He pulled the pin and held it for a second before throwing it down the stairs the glowing one now starting it's way up. The grenade slammed into its head before going off. He ducked quickly, wood and green slime hitting him. He looked up, the glowing one's body now laying at the bottom of the stairs and a loud ringing in his ears.

MacCready turned, seeing Anne folding her arms, and grin on her face.

"Are you crazy?!" he yelled. Her expression didn't change.

"You need to trust me." she said and started walking towards the stage where a mannequin stood in the shroud costume.

"I trust you, but you don't just...do that! You could've died!" he remembered Lucy, trying to get the image out of his head. Anne stopped and looked at him.

"Mac, have I not proven at this point that I know what I'm doing?" she placed the silver shroud hat on her head.

"I know people who spent their whole lifes in the wastes, and they died from a radroach," he approached her shaking his head at her, "you have to be careful." he sighed looking up at her.

She placed the hat in her pack, "I'm sorry if I scared you. I just didn't think there was enough time." she said softly and she looked up at him.

"It's okay just...don't do that." he said looking down at her. She looked like Duncan when MacCready had to scold him for running into the wastes sometimes. Nothing had scared him more.

The two of them examined the room, and Anne at one point seemed to find controls for the stage, the lights moved around and music played. He looked over at her and she was grinning.

He walked up to the stage, "So this is where they used to film the old silver shroud shows. I wish I could have seen them." he said, looking at some of the large lights on the ceiling. It was weird, imagine staring at this set on television. They were still looking around when he found Grognaks costume. He picked up the loin cloth and looked at her.

"Look at this!" she walked up to him touching the costume.

"Wanting to dress up?" she asked, and he looked at it and chuckled.

"In a loin cloth? No thanks." he said placing it down before she took it from his hands.

She was looking at it smirking slightly, "I can think of a few uses for this." she said and MacCready raised an eyebrow at her and she looked up at him, her face turning pink muttering a nevermind stuffing the loincloth in her bag.

The two of them walked around the rest of the building, now cleared of ghouls they took their time. Once they finished ,they walked out of the building into the sun, making their way back to Diamond City, loaded with comics.


	25. Too overprotective

The rest of the walk to Diamond city took an hour, and when they got there around 4 according to Anne's pipboy. She started making her to the detective agency, saying how they could stop in at the market after.

They entered and he could hear a conversation going on.

"Come on Nicky. I'm just asking for your opinion. It'd be a great quote." the woman had a thick accent, and he saw the woman who'd come in with Anne the day she hired him. _What was that a week ago?_

"She's my client Piper. Why don't you learn not to snoop on a woman's private affairs." the synth reprimanded. Pipers eyes moved to the door.

"Well well, speak of the devil." _Oh, so they were talking about her. Great._

"Good to know I'm popular," Anne mumbled, rubbing the back of her head, "Find any leads Nick?" she asked, Piper looked at them with a confused look.

"What we talking about?" Piper said.

"Found a chip in the guys head. Not for Poker….well...not a good game of poker." MacCready shrugged from behind Anne. Piper just looked more confused.

"That guy, Kellog, was almost all machine. In his brain, there was some chip. Nick was looking for a place where I could try and get it...looked into." Anne said walking towards the two. MacCready looked around, noticing the girl from before. He smiled at her and she turned around making her way around a corner out of sight, though not quick enough to hide how red her face was getting. _Damn that feels good._

"Oh yeah, that makes more sense," Piper said sarcastically throwing her hands up. Nick sighed and looked at her.

"Man worked for the institute, that makes more sense kid," Nick turned his attention back to Anne, "Look there's a place in Goodneighbor called the memory den. Relive the past moments in your mind as clear as the day they happened," _Oh god not that place,_ "If anyone could get a dead brain to sing, it'll be Doctor Amari, the mind behind the memories."

Anne looked at him shaking her head, "Who's this doctor Amari?" she asked. MacCready had lived in Goodneighbor for a few months and he'd only heard that name a couple of times.

"I'll let her give you her life story in person," Nick said and Piper cut him off before he could continue.

"Whether we're riding this crazy brain train or not, we can't all go running across the commonwealth. So who's coming with you?" Piper asked. MacCready felt his stomach clench. Was she gonna send him back to Goodneighbor?

"I have to go to the memory den either way if I'm gonna introduce you to Amari. But if you want to head there together, just say so." The synth said. MacCready's stomach got tighter. _Does everyone want to travel with her?_

She stood there for a moment in silence, clearly thinking. _Please pick me._

"I think I'm gonna stick with Mac, we've got some stuff to do," she said and a wave of relief washed over him. _Oh, thank god._

"Alright well, I'll meet you there," Nick said, pulling out a cigarette.

"While you two are out, I'm going to do some more research. I'll be at the Publick if you need me," Piper started making her way out, walking past MacCready, "And by the way, at some point, you owe me an interview. I want to hear this how this whole story got started." she walked out of the building, eyeing up MacCready on her way out.

Nick looked at the two of them after Piper left, "Can I talk to you for a second kid," he said, looking at Anne, "In private." his yellow eyes shot to MacCready. Anne nodded glancing at MacCready. He sighed

"I get it I get it. I'll be outside." he walked outside pulling out a cigarette and lighting it. He stood on the side of the road, looking at the people walking around. Kids ran by him.

 _Duncan's birthday is in a few months._ He should get him something, though what he didn't know. The kid had enough toys. When Lucy was pregnant MacCready had brought everything he could find home. Blocks, teddy's, toy cars. Whatever he could get his hands on. He remembered being back on the farm, waking up some mornings and stepping on something and just...swearing. Then he'd see Duncan in his crib sleeping. That's when he decided to quit swearing...as much. The last thing he wanted was for Duncan to grow up to be like him, he wanted his son to be better.

His mind drifted to the medicine they'd sent back. It would be another week until it arrived, and then another 2 weeks until he could find out if Duncan was getting better. He sighed, wanting to know now. He'd never been patient, that's what Lucy had been good at. It's why he drank.

He heard the door shut behind him and he looked back. Anne stood there, her face flushed, he handed her the cigarette and she took a long drag.

"Something happens in there?" he asked and she shook her head.

"We just talked about some stuff...he reminds me of my dad sometimes," she said handing the cigarette back. MacCready raised an eyebrow and she shook her head.

"He's way too overprotective sometimes." she laughed making her way to the market.

She was at the diamond city surplus selling stuff they had scavenged, MacCready hung back smoking when he noticed her point at something. The woman behind the stand said something and Anne picked something up. _A holotape?_ She put it in her pipboy and music started to play. It was only a few seconds but then she took the holotape out.

"300 caps." the woman said and MacCready coughed on his cigarette. _300 caps for what?!_

"200," Anne said, leaning on the counter.

"250." Anne shook her head.

"Travis was the only one who would've bought. 200," she said again and the woman gritted her teeth.

"Fine," she said and Anne took the holotape and the woman _still_ handed her caps. She must've sold a lot. Anne walked away pleased, placing the holotape in her pocket. MacCready looked at her confused.

"What the hel-heck did you buy for 200 caps if it's not a weapon?" she looked up at him and shook her head.

"I'll show you once we're in the dugout," she said making her way through the market.

"Swatters will win you the game. The game of beating people up that is." Anne stopped, turning to a man in a baseball uniform holding a bat. There was a weird expression on her face.

"What's a swatter?" she asked. _Oh god._ He could already see the man's eyes light up and he chuckled.

"A rookie eh? A swatter my friend is a Diamond city tradition. See it used to be this whole place was a stadium. And two teams would meet and play a game called baseball," the man spoke slowly, like he was speaking to a child and MacCready almost started laughing _He has no idea who he's speaking too, "_ One team would beat the other team to death with things called Baseball bats, and the best bats were called swatters. True fact." A sly grin spread across Anne's face.

"Oh really, what kind of teams were there?" The man started rambling about whatever he was trying to sell and he just stared at Anne. Amusement was behind her eyes like she was hearing the funniest thing she had ever heard. He could watch her do this all day.

"Hey dumbass, that's not how baseball was played." again he almost laughed, watching the man's expression turn to shock and then anger.

"That right little miss smarty pants? If you're such an expert, how do you think it was played?" _oh this is gonna be good._

"The teams would also beat the spectators to death. That's how the term spectator sport got started," she said smugly, leaning back on her feet her arms crossed. He came up behind her and leaned in close to her ear.

"Yeah something tells me your making this all up?" he whispered and she glanced at him grinning.

"I like my version better." the man said glaring at her. She waved her hand, walking away from the stand. MacCready followed her feeling giddy.

They made their way to the dugout, and Anne rented a room, but before she did she went to the bar and bought a bottle of wine and whiskey. Anne approached him, placing the whiskey in his hands.

"I think we have comics to read," she said making her way past him towards the door with a two scratched on it. MacCready chuckled and they made their way into the room.

* * *

 **AN** : Sorry for the short chapter guys, next week will more than make up for it, promise. Also, this isn't just my story, this is OUR story. You guys can have an impact on this, so I have 2 questions, and I would really appreciate your feedback. Feel free to PM me your ideas or response, or leave it in a review.

1\. What ending? I can download an ending that makes it so that everyone isn't killing each other, or I can go for an in-game ending. Let me know what ending you prefer, and if you have no preference I will go with my own ending, which isn't one in-game. It will be similar to other endings, but with slight differences.

2\. Do you want smut? This story is rated M mostly because of the amount of violence and language along with some future stuff. But there is no smut. I can write smut, but I want to know what people want. If I don't get replies I'm going to make an executive decision on the topic.

Again your feedback is GREATLY appreciated. Anyways see you guys next week.


	26. Ain't Misbehavin'

**AN:** Good news boys and girls; smuts on the menu. Thank you to everyone who reached out and let me know, I appreciated the comments and they did truly make my day. Anyways this is a very...interesting song. I hope you enjoy and remember I did it before FO76.

* * *

Comics were spread out around them. MacCready picked up a unstoppables comic before taking his whiskey and pulling the cork out. He looked up at Anne, who had a Grognak comic. She held her bottle of wine out and he tapped his bottle of whiskey against it. She had a cigarette in her mouth.

"Cheers." they said before taking a long sip.

He started going through the comic, taking the cigarette when she would hand it to him.

"Never really read the unstoppables." he said as they read.

"Can you really be picky out here?" she said from across the bed. He glanced up. She'd taken her coat off, and her legs were crossed in front of her. He hadn't noticed that under her boots she actually wore translucent socks that went up to her thighs. _When did she get those_?

He nodded, and the sound of the music enveloped them. They read for a bit before Anne suddenly jumped up leaning over his legs to reach her pack.

"What?" he asked and she sat back up the holotape in her hands. She shut her radio off and leaned backed against the wall, getting the song started.

A jazz band started playing and she sat there moving her head with the music.

 _No one to talk with all by myself_

"You bought a Billie Holiday song?" he asked, recognizing the voice. She nodded.

"Never thought I'd hear this song again. It was my dad's favourite," she said lighting another cigarette. MacCready took a swig from his bottle noticing it was now half empty. _How long had they been drinking reading?_

 _Ain't misbehavin' I'm saving my love for you._

"What was he like?" MacCready asked, putting the comic down and grabbing another. She let out a sigh and took a long drink.

"He did his best. My mom left when I was 4. Just woke up one day and she was gone. My older brother, he was 10 years older than me and when she did that, it really messed him up. He started taking med-x all the time. My dad was trying to raise me by himself, and deal with a son who was always high," _I know for certain the one I love, I'm through with flirting It's just you I'm thinking of, "_ My brother passed away when I was 13. Overdose. It was really hard on my dad." She shook her head. He looked up at her, noticing she had the comic sitting on her lap now.

"I'm sorry," he said and she waved it off.

 _Like Jack Horner, in the corner,_

"I blame my mother, no one else. She left. Only heard from her again after Shaun was born," she closed her eyes letting out a sad smile, "She asked to come and see him...and asked how my brother was. Had no idea he was dead."

 _Your kisses are worth waiting for, believe me._

He saw a few tears and he put the comics down. He made his way beside her. She rested her head on his shoulder sadly,

 _I don't stay up late, don't care to go_

"It's so nice you named your son after your brother he must be thrilled," she said softly, "She didn't even know her son was dead." those words came out angrier and he looked down at her.

 _I'm home about eight, just me and my radio._

She looked up at him and his hand reached out, wiping the tears from his face. He didn't realize how close they were, or how his head had gotten so blurry. _Just do it._

 _Ain't misbehavin'_

He leaned down, pressing his lips to hers. They were soft and she kissed him back.

 _Saving my love for you._

His hand stayed on her face, cupping her cheek. Her own hands reached out, grabbing the front of his jacket. It felt nice kissing her, he hadn't kissed someone for a while and she was so soft.

She moved, her lips came off his for a second and he moved forwards trying to capture them again. Instead, she was sitting on his lap now, facing him, her legs wrapped around his waist creating a small gap between him and the wall.

Her hands moved to the small of her back, pulling her into him, and her own hands went to his hair knocking the cap off. Her lips found him and he drank her in. Her fingers rooted themselves in the base of his hair, pulling his head up towards her.

His fingers felt the fabric under his hands, and he could feel the pressure of her leaning against him on his chest. She opened her mouth with the kiss letting out a small moan against his mouth. It sent shivers down his spine as he deepened the kiss. His one hand found its way under her shirt, now resting on the soft skin there. His hands moved upwards and she pulled away from the kiss burying her face in his neck. He felt her lips and he tried to lean his head back, but her grip tightened in his hair. He let out a long shaky breath and her face came back to his, and in her eyes, he saw a hunger he hadn't seen in a long time. She kissed him again, his hands now on her upper back feeling the smooth skin. Her one hand left his hair, moving its way to the buttons on his jacket. His right hand left her back, moving its way to where her leg rested. He placed his hand on it and he could feel her mouth open against his. He ran his hand up it slowly, the tips of his fingers sliding in under the hem of her shorts, and his thumb hooking under the sock. She let out a low moan against his lips and he could feel her start pulling off his duster. He started moving to help her get it off his shoulders. He moved his hands out from her clothes, and she had the jacket off. Once it was off both his hands went to her lower back grabbing her shirt in his hands. He slowly started lifting them.

 _No one to talk with, all by myself._

He leaned forward a bit, closing any gap between them and her hands found their way back to his hair and dug in making him give off a grunt. She giggled against his lips.

 _No one to walk with but I'm happy on the shelf._

This felt right. This felt good. Being this close to her. Feeling her against him. He'd missed this feeling, of wanting. Right now there was nothing he wanted more than this. But…

 _What about Lucy?_

He froze, his hands stopping the ascent up her back they had been making.

 _Ain't misbehavin'._

He pulled his mouth away from hers and she started for his neck.

"Anne." he said softly and she looked at him, the hunger in her eyes. All he wanted was to give her what she wanted but he couldn't yet.

 _Saving my love for you._

"I...I can't...I can't do this right now...I thought…" he looked down, away from her, trying to shield himself from the disappointment, but he could feel her deflate against him. She pulled herself off him and moved to the edge of the bed.

 _I know for certain, the one I love._

"I understand." came softly from in front of him, he could see her shoulders slumped over. He didn't know what to say.

 _I'm through with flirtin'. It's just you that I'm thinking of._

He could hear her pulling her boots on, and placed his face in his hands. _What the fuck is wrong with me._ Why? Why at all the moments was that the one where he thought of Lucy. It hadn't happened with that other girl 2 months ago. _Because Anne's different and you know it._

 _I ain't misbehavin'. Saving my love for you._

He felt the bed shift, Anne standing up, he could hear her footfalls were slow.

 _Like Jack Horner, in a corner, I don't go nowhere, what do I care._

He raised his eyes, seeing her bend over to grab her duster on the ground. He sucked his breath in looking at her. _Fuck._

 _Your kisses are worth waiting for. Believe me._

She pulled the jacket over her slumped shoulders slowly, her back still to him. Her legs disappeared behind the fabric.

 _I don't stay up late, don't care to go._

She turned, to face him, a sadness in her eyes. _I did that._

 _I'm home about eight just me and my radio._

"I'm...I'm gonna take a walk," she said looking at him before looking away quickly, she started for the door.

 _Ain't misbehavin'._

"I'm sorry Anne," he said and she froze, her hand on the door. She turned and smiled sadly at him and he felt his chest get tight.

"It's okay...I understand. I really do."

 _Savin' my love for you._

She walked out the door, it shut quietly behind her and MacCready was left with silence.

He slammed his head against the wall, "Fuck!" he said under his breath staring at the ceiling.

"Fuck!" he completely ruined that. He'd hurt her. She might have said she was fine, but he could see that she was hurt. It wasn't fair to her.

He wanted to give her everything. He wanted to make himself better when he watched what she went through for her son. When he saw her wonder at the ruined world. When he saw her hurt over the past. _I don't think I can be better._

MacCready still felt hot, uncomfortable. He thought of her, on his lap. Of her kissing him. The look in her eyes. The feeling his chest.

He slammed his head against the wall again.

"Fuck." he muttered, not really caring about his promise to Duncan at the moment.

He leaned against the wall for a while, in silence. He was trying to get his mind off what had just happened. It took a while but eventually it faded and MacCready was left just feeling bad. He sighed, grabbing the bottle of whiskey, looking at it. He just placed it on the floor, grabbing the bottle of wine. It was nearly full. He placed it beside the whiskey. He grabbed the magazines, placing them on the floor in a neat pile and laid on his back looking at the ceiling. He felt like getting up, walking around, but he didn't wanna risk running into her and having to see her sad. Instead, he laid on the bed closing his eyes.

He opened his eyes, not really aware of when he'd fallen asleep. But knowing he had. He looked around the room expecting her to be there. She wasn't though, her pack sitting where it had been when he had fallen asleep. He laid there for a bit trying to fall back asleep. He couldn't. He just wondered where she was.

 _Screw it._ No matter how uncomfortable it was, he had to find where she was. He pulled himself up and sighed, pulling his cap back on. As he touched it he remembered how it had come off. Her hands in his hair. He pulled it on and standing up. He looked at his rifle, considering if he should grab it. He picked it up, throwing it over his shoulder. He opened the door and started walking out when he heard a laugh he recognized.

"You're kidding?" Anne's voice rang out. He moved slowly and looked around the corner.

Her back was to him but he could see her seated at the bar, leaning against the bar. Vadim was looking at her laughing.

"No, it was hilarious krasivaya. He had gotten so drunk he kept talking about cave fungus until his head just slammed down." _oh no._

"God I'd kill to see that." she simmered down, leaning back in her chair and sighing.

"It was good krasivaya, you would've enjoyed that." MacCready felt his teeth clench. _We're going to have a talk with Vadim and my embarrassing drinking stories._

"Would you...tell me about Lucy?" she asked and MacCready sucked his breath in, Vadim shook his head.

"What has he told you?" he heard Vadim say that quietly.

"That he was married and she died. How she died...I'm...just curious." her voice sounded weird and Vadim let out a chuckle.

"What, are you jealous krasivaya?" Anne said something he didn't hear.

"Lucy was a beautiful woman. She was always supporting people, being kind. MacCready must've had some khorosho karma to get a woman like her," Vadim chuckled, "now with you coming along he must've killed every behemoth in the commonwealth." he heard a glass hit the counter and Vadim turned grabbing a bottle of vodka.

"We're not together. We're just friends." Anne said that almost sullenly, Vadim just laughed at her.

"You can keep saying that krasivaya but all you've done is ask about him," Vadim placed the drink in front of her, "and if there is one thing I know about him, he's a prisoska for a pretty face." Vadim was speaking more Russian then he normally did. _Mean's he's been drinking._

Anne threw an arm up, "I...I just want to know if I'm doing something wrong?" that hurt to hear her say that. Vadim shook his head at her.

"You ever lose someone krasivaya," she nodded, "Then you know how much it hurts. Lucy was the first person he ever had. It takes time." he sighed and leaned on the bar.

"I know just…" she let out a sigh, "I just wish I could help." Vadim held the bottle out topping off her drink.

"You are helping krasivaya. You got him out of Goodneighbor. Give it time. You will see," his eyes raised to Anne, "But if in the meantime, you're feeling lonely I'm su-" MacCready felt like going in there but before he could move Anne started laughing.

"I'm flattered, but I think I'll wait it out," she said and MacCready let out a soft sigh of relief.

"Are you sure krasivaya? I have some info about him that may make you decide Vadim may be better." Anne just laughed and MacCready glared at Vadim. Vadim's eyes raised spotting the very angry man around the corner. His face suddenly changed and he raised his hands.

"Never mind, never mind. I'm joking." and MacCready dragged a finger across his neck. Vadim looked back at Anne.

"You sure," Anne said, placing her drink down and sighing, "No don't," she said something that MacCready couldn't hear and Vadim laughed, glancing up at MacCready and shaking his head.

MacCready was tempted to keep watching, but he knew if he did Anne would notice what Vadim was doing. He turned instead walking to the room and shutting the door quietly. He placed the rifle down on the ground and pulled off his green coat. He laid on the bed, leaving a space by the wall for Anne. He laid on his back closing his eyes, trying to think.

 _What's Vadim telling her?_ He shook his head. No. Don't think about that.

 _But what if she changes her mind?_ No. No, don't think about it. He tried to ignore his thoughts but just laid there glaring at the back of his eyelids.

It was a little while later the door opened. He just laid there trying to make her think he was asleep. He heard her grunt as she pulled her shoes off. He heard her hit the wall as she leaned against it muttering under her breath cursing. He just kept his eyes closed as he heard her take off her coat. _I could peek._

He didn't and he felt her lay down beside him, curled up facing him. He could feel her staring at him. _What do I do?_

Her hand ran through his hair and she let out a sad sigh. MacCready felt a shiver go down his spine as she ran her fingers through his hair. He remembered the last time she had done that. She did it for a while before resting her hand on his chest. Se laid there for a while before her breath started to slow down. He knew when she was sleeping because her nose made this whistling sound. Once he heard that he looked over at her, she was fast asleep.

He took her hand in his and closed his eyes, forgetting about what had happened earlier and let himself drift off to sleep.

* * *

 **AN:** Hope you enjoyed!


	27. I have to do this

**AN:** Good luck to everyone in midterms! Enjoy!

* * *

MacCready woke up the next morning with a long sigh. He stretched his arms up before placing them back down resting on some shoulders. He buried his face into the hair, smelling the flowers. It took him a second before he realized who it was. MacCready's eyes shot open and he looked down. Anne laid curled up against him, her one leg and arm wrapped around him and her face nuzzled into his neck.

 _What do I do?_ He didn't want to wake her, but the idea of her waking up like this, after...yesterday scared him. He shifted a bit and instead her grip tightened and she nuzzled closer into his neck. He could feel her breath on his neck. It reminded him of last night when he'd stopped everything. Her mouth moving to his neck.

 _Stop that._

He decided to close his eyes, trying to fall back asleep. Didn't work. His thumb started making circular motions on her shoulder, and he just kept his head back. Anne started moving and he watched as she yawned and looked up at him.

"What time is it?" she mumbled resting her head back on his chest.

"Uh...I'm not the one with the oversized wristwatch boss," he said trying to move away from her. She groaned letting go and sitting up. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes. MacCready sat up beside her, she looked down at her pipboy.

"7 am" she mumbled pulling herself to the end of the bed and yawned stretching her arms above her head. He watched her, seeing the curve of her back arch to get the kinks out. He laid there until she stood up and he pulled himself up. Sitting on the edge of the bed and she grabbed her pack and started placing the comics and bottles into her pack. He watched as she rifled through it. She grabbed a box of fancy lad snack cakes and opened it placing it between them. She grabbed one and placed it in her mouth.

"So plan today is head to Goodneighbor, get into that memory thing, give Kent his silver shroud costume and...head back home?" she said looking at him. MacCready shrugged taking a snack cake for himself.

He really wanted to apologize, for last night. For leading her on. But he knew what she would say. _Just pretend like nothing happened._

 _I don't want to though._

He wanted her to yell at him. Call him an asshole. He wanted to feel like shit.

She didn't though, she sat there eating a snack cake and looking through her pipboy, cataloging items in her pack. He watched her as she was working. He watched as she placed the cream puff between her lips, licking her fingers as she finished it. Her nose bunched up, the aftertaste hitting her. Too sugary _. I could watch her do anything._ She looked up at him, and he felt like he was caught with his pants down.

"What you looking at?" she asked, pulling herself off the bed and grabbing her jacket and his duster, throwing it at him.

"You," he said catching it. She looked at him and shook her head, grabbing her shoes off the ground.

"Don't make promises you can't keep." he heard her grumble, probably thinking he couldn't hear it. He did. It felt like a slap to the face. He felt anger start to bubble in his stomach. He wanted to explain to her how he was sorry, how he wasn't making a promise because the last thing he had ever wanted to do was hurt her. He was tempted to tell her that he was leaving, going to the capital wasteland and seeing Duncan.

He didn't though because she turned as he sat there thinking, her shoes now on. She smiled at him, throwing her pack on her back.

"Come on, we've gotta go." she grabbed his feet and started pulling on his leg. MacCready let out a long sigh.

"Alright, alright." he pulled himself off the bed and he started pulling his jackets on. She looked at him.

"I'm going to wait outside," she said glancing at him for a second. Just looking at him, her eyes changing from a second to that hunger he'd seen last night, and then sadness. She turned quickly, walking out of the room. He sighed laying back down on the bed.

"Fuck," he muttered one last time before grabbing his shoes and slipping them on. He grabbed his rifle and chased after her.

He found her waiting outside, sitting at one of the tables and she glanced up at him and smiled.

"Ready?" she asked standing up and readjusting her gun on her shoulder.

"Cocked, locked and ready to rock boss." he managed to give her a smirk. She laughed and started walking towards the exit of the city. He followed behind her, watching as she fiddled with her pipboy as she walked. As she moved he watched as she moved her shoulders under the weight of the pack. He remembered the feel of her shoulders, the feel of her skin under his hands, the image of her back from the mirror.

They got out of the city when she looked at him, "Have you heard of the freedom trail?" she asked, crossing her arms. MacCready shook his head.

"Freedom trail? I think I've heard a thing or two, don't know what it is though." he shrugged. Heard people in Goodneighbor talk about it occasionally, just figured it was some commonwealth thing. Anne seemed to nod before continuing down the road. He was following chewing the insides of his cheek, just wanting to get rid of the feeling of discomfort he felt. They walked together in silence, taking out a lot of raiders on the way. Eventually, they got to the gates of Goodneighbor and walked in. Anne wasted no time making her way into the memory den. MacCready hated this place. He had come here when he first came to Goodneighbor, paying to try one of the machines, for a moment with Lucy again. He remembered waking up and wanting to just go back in. That was when he knew he couldn't ever go in that thing again. They turned the corner and Nick was talking to Irma. As they walked in he watched Anne's hand slip over a window in a door and grab a nuka cola sitting there. Instead of placing it in her pack she opened it and handed it to MacCready, "Get your energy back." she mumbled.

"Well well," a voice that sounded like it was in a dream came from Irma, "Mr. Valentine. I thought you had forgotten about little ole' me." MacCready took a sip of the Nuka Cola, watching Irma lean forward towards Nick, looking at him with mischievous looks, like old lovers seeing each other again. _That's real weird._

"May have walked out of the den, Irma, but I'd never walk out on you." his tone sounded the same as hers. _Please make it stop._

Anne and MacCready came up behind Nick and Irma seemed to notice, the smile falling from her face, "Hmph. Amari's downstairs, you big flirt." Nick chuckled making his way towards a doorway. Anne approached Irma to say something but she raised her hand.

"Whatever you and Nick are up to, I don't need to know. Just don't let the big metal soft hurt himself, alright." Anne pulled her lips in. He could tell she was irritated. She just nodded, making her way towards Nick. MacCready started following.

"Long time no see MacCready. I scare you off last time?" said the dreamy voice and MacCready turned gritting his teeth.

"That's a way to put it, Irma. I'm not interested." he was walking backwards, away from her, his arms out. She chuckled relaxing in her chair.

"Who said I was offering?" she said and turned her attention to the people in the pods. MacCready turned back around, following.

MacCready quickly followed after Anne and the synth, walking into a small room well a conversation was going on.

"Putting aside the fact you're asking me to defile a corpse, you do realize the memory simulators require intact living brains to function?" the woman's voice was irritated, and thick accent was in it, one he didn't recognize. She had her arms crossed.

"Technically, the corpse was defiled already," Anne said shrugging, a smug look on her face. MacCready smiled looking down to try and not piss off the doctor.

"This dead brain had inside knowledge on the institute Amari. The biggest scientific secret of the commonwealth Amari. You need this. So do we." Nick said the words firm, though not harshly. His own arms crossed. The woman threw her arms up sighing.

"Fine. I'll take a look, but no guarantees. Do you...have it with you?" She asked looking at them with irritation still.

"Could you say that like Doctor Frankenstein," McCready had no idea what Anne was talking about but then she put on some goofy voice, "Igor, fetch me the brain!" Amari rolled her eyes.

"No. I will not," she looked back at Anne, "Now. Do you have it?" she said again, her voice more stern.

"How much of the brain do you need exactly?" Anne asked, looking at Nick who was digging through his pockets.

"That is not an encouraging question. I suppose I'll have to make do with...whatever you can find." MacCready felt like telling her they'd found more than enough but stayed silent.

Nick pulled it out and Anne looked at them, "Here's what we could find." Anne said, looking between the piece of brain and Amari. Amari took it in her hands and looked at it curiously.

"What's this? This isn't a brain. This is...wait," she moved it to see it better, "That's the hippocampus, and this thing attached to it...a neural interface?" she looked up between them.

"Those circuits look awfully familiar," Nick said, shifting in his spot. Amari glanced up at Nick.

"I'm not surprised. All institute technology has a similar architecture." she set the brain down on the desk behind her.

"So the brains still good right?" Anne asked, looking between Nick and Amari. MacCready leaned against the wall, just watching the conversation.

"Possibly. There's no sign of decay, so the tech is probably perceiving the tissue. Injecting some kind of compound to keep it stable," Amari shook her head now, "But there's no way to access the memories inside without a compatible port." her eyes now moved to Nick.

"You're talking about me, right? I'm an old synth. If the institute built me out of similar parts, we might have an in." he scratched his chin, and Anne looked up at Nick opening her mouth to say something but Amari spoke first.

"There...could be long-term side effects. I don't even know where to begin with listing the risks." Amari looked concerned but Nick shrugged shaking his head.

"Don't bother. I don't need to hear them. Plug me in Doc." he started making his way to the lounger. _Damn the synth has balls._

Anne turned to Nick looking concerned, "You really think this will work Nick?" she asked and Nick shook his head his yellow eyes meeting hers.

"No idea, but there is a missing kid on the line. That's worth the risk." Nick said looking at Amari. MacCready felt a strange sense of respect for the synth.

Nick and Amari started speaking and MacCready came up behind Anne touching her arm.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked. Anne looked at MacCready and nodded.

"I'll do anything at this point. I'd insert Kellog in my head if it meant getting Shaun back." she looked back at Nick and Amari.

"It appears the institute has one last failsafe. There's a lock on the memories in the implant." Anne's face made a weird expression of disbelief.

"How do you lock memories?" she asked raising her arms.

"The implant is encoding all the mnemonic activity in the Hippocampus. Think of it like computer encryption, and we don't have the password," Amari sighed rubbing her chin, "Let's see...a single mind wouldn't be able to crack it but..what if we had two?" she said looking up at Anne.

 _No. She's not suggesting what I think?_

"We load both you and Mr. Valentine into the memory loungers. Run your cognitive functions parallel. He'll act as a host while your consciousness drives through whatever memories we can find." MacCready let out a relieved sigh. _Okay, not what I thought._

"Any idea what I'm going to see in there?" Anne asked, crossing her arms and looking at Amari. She was nervous. When she was nervous she would bite her bottom lip, and right now she was. Was a habit from shooting he'd noticed.

"I have no clue, but considering we only have a single piece of the medial temporal lobe and not the whole brain, I doubt it will be cohesive." MacCready grabbed her arm.

"Anne this is a big risk, something could happen," he tried to think of a reason his eyes searching the ground before looking into her eyes, _her green eyes,_ "I can go in," he said pleading. She smiled weakly, touching his hand on her arm.

"I have to do this Robert," she said, turning to Amari and sighing.

"All right. Let's get started."

The rest was a blur, he watched her enter the pod, the screen falling over her face. Nick said something and then they were gone. Amari looked at him.

"You might want to take a seat. This could be a while," she said and MacCready shook his head. She went to a terminal and started looking through files and talking, while MacCready paced the room. He could hear Amari speaking, maybe Anne could hear them, he couldn't tell. He'd just look at her and see the glazed look over her eyes of someone in memories. It felt like it was going on forever, with her occasionally making what sounded like sad cries. Her face didn't move though. He only snapped back into it when he heard Amari say, "Let me pull you out of there." He jumped to his feet walking towards the lounger Anne laid in. Amari went in front of him, watching the glass raise and Anne started rubbing her eyes.

"Slow movements okay? I don't know what kind of side effects the procedure might have had. No one's ever...done this before." out of the corner of his eyes he saw Nick moving. Anne pulled herself up a sad look on her face and her eyes met MacCready's.

"I'm okay doctor….thank you." she rolled her neck, stretching it.

"That's good, but I want you to keep monitoring yourself. We have to be sure there's no long term brain damage," _Brain damage?!_ No one had said anything about brain damage to her, "Are you ready to talk about what happened in there?" Amari asked, and MacCready moved up beside Anne looking at her concerned, she shook her head.

"We got what we needed. The institute uses teleportation to get in and out." she looked over at Amari who rubbed her chin nodding.

"Yes. Their greatest secret has finally been revealed. But only leads to more questions. How does it work? Where do we go next?" he noticed she talked with her hands a lot.

"That scientist Kellog was supposed to track down. Virgil. We need to find him." she said looking at MacCready. _I need to talk to you_ was written in her eyes.

"You're right. A rogue institute scientist could answer all kinds of questions," Amari said nodding, "Where did the memory say he was? The Glowing Sea," _What,_ "That doesn't make sense. No one goes there. Not even if they were desperate."

Anne looked at her, resolve in her eyes, "If we need to find Virgil, then I'm going after him." MacCready felt like telling her she was crazy but Amari spoke up before he could.

"If you're going to go, be prepared. You'll need some way to combat the radiation there. It's called the glowing sea for a reason." MacCready looked behind him, noticing Nick was gone. _What the hell._

"I'll find a way to get through the rads, don't worry." MacCready was half paying attention, looking around the room for the synth.

"Good luck, and be safe," Amari said, making her way to the terminal. Anne turned to MacCready.

"That little trip down Kellog's memory lane really worked eh? Must have been something else," he said and Anne nodded.

"We can talk about it later...it was intense," she said softly and MacCready nodded. The two made their way up the stairs they had come from. They were walking across the room and Nick was standing in the doorway smoking. Anne approached him slowly, placing her hand on his arm.

"Nick?" she asked, the robots head snapped, eyes focusing on her.

"Hope you got what you were looking for inside my head. Heh. I was right. Should've killed you when you were on ice." Anne's arm flew backwards and Nicks robotic arm caught it, not letting her get away. MacCready instantly had his rifle in his hands, ready to blast the synth to hell.

"Kellog? Is that you?" he could hear the fear in her voice. He was ready to pull the trigger when the synth shook his head, releasing her arm.

"What? What are you talking about?" Nicks' voice came from the body now, the cigarette that had been in his hand dropping.

"You sounded like Kellog just then," Anne said, still pulling her arm away. MacCready slung his rifle back over his shoulder slowly.

"Did I? Amari said there might be mneumonic impressions left over," _what does that word even mean, "_ Anyway, I feel fine. You kids heading back to Diamond city?" he said looking between the two.

Anne was still clearly nervous but she shook her head, "I have some stuff here in Goodneighbor I gotta do." she glanced at one of the memory loungers. _Oh no._

"All right kid. You know where to find me if you need me. Good luck." the synth said making his way out of the Den. Anne turned walking up to Irma. MacCready grabbed her arm.

"Anne, don't do this. I've done it. It's not worth whatever you think it may be." Anne pulled her arm away, and a coldness went over her eyes.

"I'm a big girl Mac. I'll make that decision for myself," she said walking towards Irma. MacCready stood there helpless watching her chat with Irma and then entering one of the pods. He sat on the couch, his head in his hands. He knew what came next. He could hear Anne over the terminal, begging to be let out, crying how it should've been her, and not him. He could hear the voice he'd never heard before. The man's voice was low, lower then MacCready thought it would be, and he had power behind it. _Why Anne fell in love with him._

He heard the case open and Anne basically fall out. He looked up at her, watching her ask Irma why that memory. Why put her through that again. Irma apologized but...MacCready knew. No apologizing would make up for that pain she had gone through. She stomped away from them, walking into an adjacent room. He didn't follow her. He knew she needed to be alone. She needed to collect her thoughts. He sat there placing his face back in his hands. It was a while later that she walked over. He looked up at her. The tears had dried from her face but the hurt was still in her eyes. He stood up, reaching out to touch her but she took a step back, shaking her head.

"Can we just...can we just get out of here." MacCready gave her a sad smile.

"We can go wherever you want," he said and she made her way out of the memory den, hopefully forever.


	28. You have to move forward

**AN:** There is drug use in this chapter, namely marijuana. (Before someone gets upset marijuana was meant to be in Fallout 1 but they took it out since it was an actual drug). If you aren't comfortable with marijuana I would suggest skipping this chapter, as it is heavy. Also, I'm not condoning drug use, please be careful around anything that can alter your mind, legal or not. Anyways enough of me being a mother Hen, enjoy the chapter.

* * *

It was dusk out in Goodneighbor now. They must've been in the Den for a while, considering they had arrived at noon. She was walking looking at her pipboy, and MacCready was watching her slumped over shoulders when a redcoat walked by. MacCready's eyes lit up.

"Hancock!" MacCready shouted, and the ghoul's eyes turned to the two of them a smile growing across his face.

"Well look what the cat dragged in," he approached MacCready and the two shook hands, "Heard you'd left but couldn't stay away huh," his eyes moved to Anne, "And you didn't introduce me to this beauty?" he moved past MacCready as if he was a ghost, Anne laughed at him.

"Nice to meet you too. Name's Anne." she stuck her hand out and Hancock took it shaking it gently. How did that damn ghoul still have more charm then MacCready had ever had?

"Name's Hancock beautiful. I heard about some angel coming to my town but I figured it was the jet." he chuckled and Anne shook her head.

Anne smiled and MacCready felt uncomfortable and he cleared his throat and the two looked at him, "My friends had a rough day Hancock. We should probably head to th-"Hancock's eyes got a mischievous look and he placed his hands on their shoulders.

"Hard day? Well if there's one person who knows how to help with hard times, it's this guy," he started leading them down the street, "Come on, I've got to hear what's been going on with you two." he looked at MacCready winking, and MacCready felt his ears turn red and he let out a grunt while shaking his head.

They walked into the old state house, moving over the broken old ruin, the steps creaking under their feet.

"So where did you come from to look that good?" Hancock asked, and before Anne could answer MacCready leaned over.

"Capital wasteland handsome," MacCready said and Hancock looked at him and chuckled rolling his eyes.

"You think I'd forget that?" he said his eyes turning back to Anne. He didn't like the way Hancock's eyes were on her, it was like the way Ferals looked at them, but he managed he wanted to attack her in _other_ ways.

They were making their way up the stairs, past the neighbourhood watch to the room Hancock called his 'office'. He was still trying to coax answers out of her but she seemed to be good at dodging them.

They entered the office and Hancock moved to his desk, telling them to sit down. MacCready sat on one couch, and Anne sat across from him, looking at him with MacCraedy with a confused expression. He shook his head and relaxed into the cushions.

"What's your poison? Jet? Psycho? Mentants?" he asked, looking through his drawers. Anne's eyes went wide and she started opening her mouth when MacCready started speaking before her.

"How about something lighter? You got that stuff we had last time?" he asked and Hancock chuckled.

"You're just trying to get your hands on my good stuff ain't you?" he said but stood up with the small container MacCready recognized. Hancock sat beside Anne MacCready noticed, feeling himself shift on his catch.

Hancock opened the container, a small pipe inside. The smell went over the room, and Anne looked at Hancock.

"You got pot?" she said and Hancock looked at her confused.

"I don't know what you're talking about. This stuff here is the good stuff, and I'm the only man in the whole commonwealth with it." he started placing the green stuff in the pipe. Anne leaned forward watching a smile on her face.

"I haven't had this stuff since I was a teenager," she said and Hancock handed the pipe to her, a lighter underneath.

She took it, and Hancock started explaining how to do it but Anne instantly seemed to know what she was doing. She lit the pipe taking a long drag before taking it out of her mouth and placing it Hancock's hand. She blew the smoke out and leaned into the couch happily. She didn't even cough she just let her eyes glaze over and she seemed to have a wave of relaxation hit her. Hancock took a long drag before placing the pipe in MacCready's had. MacCready took the pipe in his hands, placing it in his mouth and lighting it. He inhaled the foul smoke and let it enter his lungs. It felt good going through his body and he blew it out, smiling as the smoke enveloped the room. All the tension with Anne, his worries about Duncan, his confusion, his anger, his sadness. It all melted away. He noticed the song from last night started playing as Anne way relaxing. He looked at her.

 _God, she's beautiful._

He hadn't noticed that they were talking, sometimes he would see words form on her lips like _husband, son, dog, lost._ After a while his ears started to pick up on what they were saying.

"Came from out west," she said and MacCready looked between the two of them, noticing Hancock had moved closer, his arm lazily over her shoulder.

"Where out west? I've been all over the west and never found a place with women as beautiful as you." Anne laughed at him again.

"Flattery will get you nowhere," she said jokingly and shook her head, "California."

"Oh NCR territory. Got tired of fascism?" Hancock leaned away from her, picking up the pipe again. _Why is she lying to him?_

"Something like that." she purred and as she said that his eyes came up, noticing that her eyes were looking back at him. Hancock was passing MacCready the pipe when Anne stood up stretching.

"I'll be right back," she said, walking out of the room, the music following her until MacCready and Hancock were left together in silence as MacCready inhaled more of the smoke. MacCready placed the pipe down and Hancock went and turned on his radio before coming back with two beers in his hand.

"Where's she really from MacCready? Something I need to worry about?" MacCready shook his head, taking the beer Hancock handed to him. He pulled the cork out and took a swig.

"She's from a vault Hancock." and Hancock nodded sitting across from him and stretching his arms over the couch

"Figured as much. Vault dwellers always look so fucking good," he growled, and MacCready felt himself get uncomfortable, "Why aren't you two together?" he asked making MacCready almost spit out his beer.

"What makes you thi-." Hancock raised his hand stopping MacCreadys words and laughing at him.

"You two can't keep your fucking eyes off each other. It's pretty obvious there's something." Hancock chuckled, pulling out some mentats from his pocket and taking some.

MacCready sighed, "I ain't ready Hancock." Hancock shook his head, chuckling slightly.

"This about your wife," MacCready nodded and Hancock sighed leaning forward, "You're never gonna be ready MacCready. You're always going to miss her, but if you're waiting for some cosmic sign that you can move on, you're not going to get one." and MacCready shook his head, trying to deny what Hancock was saying. He knew it was the truth though.

"It's not that. The other night we were...uh…"

"Fucking?"

"No! God no. We were just...I don't know. And I thought of Lucy. It doesn't seem right that I'm with this...beautiful woman, and my mind still drifts to Lucy. Anne deserves better." he said before lifting the beer to his lips and drinking the rest of it as fast as he could. He placed it down, the mixture of the alcohol and the smoke he had inhaled starting to mix and make his head feel full.

"You think she doesn't think of her husband," Hancock asked, MacCready's mind drifted to the lounger, her crying, "She does. Life's not about...just forget the bad things. It's about accepting them, and moving forward," Hancock leaned forward pressing his hands together looking at MacCready, "You need to accept that you're always going to miss Lucy. And you have to move forward. Before she does without you." he said and MacCready felt his throat get tight.

"Any suggestions?" MacCready asked and Hancock laughed leaning back again, raising his hands.

"Nothing MacCready. Gotta learn that on your own." The ghoul sighed. MacCready threw his head back frustrated when his stomach growled. _Oh yeah, I haven't eaten all day._

"I like the way you think," Hancock laughed, "Fahrenheit," he called over his shoulder. MacCready hadn't even noticed that she was there. She stood and MacCready got uncomfortable. He never liked Fahrenheit. She always felt useless to him. Hancock was always able to take care of himself, him having a bodyguard made no sense, and most of goodneighbor would agree. It's why people thought that she must've been there for some other reason. Did MacCready know? Not at all. Hancock mumbled something to Fahrenheit and she left the room and MacCready relaxed again on the couch.

"So I'd heard about some Gunners suddenly all deciding to take a dirt nap," Hancock eye MacCready suspicously, "Got any idea what happened?" MacCready chuckled shaking his head.

That was when he realized Anne had been missing for a while, he looked around, picking up the pipe and looking at it. All he wanted to do though was leave the old state house, go find her. Make sure she was okay. MacCready was about to stand up when the door opened and Anne walked in, looking bedraggled.

"Well, you look worse for wear. Where did you go?" Hancock asked, and Anne took a seat beside MacCready, her body leaning into his slightly. She shrugged.

"Took a stroll." she said looking up at MacCready and smiling. He was going to say something when Fahrenheit walked in holding a cooler and placed it on the table.

"Thanks Doll." Hancock said opening it. Inside were grilled radstag. Hancock took one and started eating it happily.

"My favorite." he said into the food and MacCready and Anne followed suit grabbing their own chunks of meat. When they finished all 3 of them leaned back, chatting. As they talked Anne's head rested on his shoulder, and they sat comfortably talking to Hancock. After a while, he heard Anne's voice drifted off, and he looked down, noticing her fast asleep. Hancock chuckled standing up and stretching.

"Can't let her miss her beauty sleep huh? You guy's can crash here," he said making his way out of the room, "Just don't do anything I wouldn't do." he chuckled leaving Anne and MacCready alone. He sat on the couch, Anne fast asleep on his shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her soft body to his own. She stayed asleep and he laid down on the couch, and she laid on top of him, fast asleep. Her face ws nuzzled into his chest, and her legs entangled in his own.

He laid there for a bit, listening to Anne sleep against his chest. He closed his eyes, feeling relaxed from that good stuff Hancock said. The flowery smell enveloped him though mixed with the heavy smell from what they had been smoking, and he closed his eyes. He was starting to fall asleep when he heard a soft voice.

"Mac. Are we friends?" came from Anne's body. MacCready hand his hand over her hair, feeling the soft texture of it.

"I'd say...putting that cure for Duncans disease in my hands pretty much gurantee I'll be your friend for life." he mumbled. She raised her head to his, he could feel her bury into his neck.

"Good." she mumbled and the two of them drifted to sleep, with an unspoken thing between them.

 _More then friends._


	29. Might need some time apart

**AN:** I can't believe we are at almost 30 chapters holy crap. Thanks to everyone who has read or been reading, and who has reviewed or PMed, they have really made me happier then I can explain. Anyways get ready to feel like punching Mac everyone. Enjoy.

* * *

MacCready woke up the next day sitting up with a start. Anne wasn't laying on him anymore. He felt himself start to panic. He remembered last night, her and Hancocks flirting. Could she have decided to take him up? He started pulling himself, wanting to look for her. _She wouldn't sleep with a ghoul. Right?_

He started walking towards the door hearing a quiet conversation. He opened the door seeing Anne and Hancock speaking. As soon as he came out the two stopped talking and Anne looked at him.

"Well, this is awkward." Hancock chuckled, Anne glared at him. _Oh no she slept with him._

"MacCready...I was thinking we might need some time apart," his stomach fell through his ass, "Not for long, just...I have my power armour which can prevent radiation, but I only have one. Hancock can go in the glowing sea; I don't want to risk you getting sick." she was saying the words like she was trying to soften a blow, it didn't. MacCready shook his head.

"We can find a radiation suit or something. I can take Rad-x; boss it shouldn't be a problem." he tried to reassure her, but he could tell that this wasn't working. Her hand rested on his arm. _Please no._

"Robert. It'll be a day or two," she said smiling softly. MacCready let out a defeated sigh. There was no arguing with her on this, he could tell.

"Just be careful. I don't think I could stand losing someone I care about for the second time," he said and watched her face contort in what almost seemed pain.

She pulled him into a quick hug, kissing his cheek quickly and backing up dusting herself off.

"We got time if you need it." Hancock joked from behind them, a cigarette in his hand. He was looking at them smugly.

"Just take care of her," MacCready said, and Hancock laughed, looking at her with that look in his eyes. He didn't like that look.

"Wouldn't have it any other way," Hancock replied and Anne turned to him and glared. Hancock just laughed.

"We're heading to red rocket. I need my power armour. Maybe, if you want, you can come?" MacCready shook his head. He really didn't want to watch Hancock keep staring at her.

"Think I'll check out the third rail. You know where to find me," he said smiling weakly at Anne. She nodded and Hancock and she made their way out of the old state house, waving at MacCready. He had to hold himself from running after them. The door shut, Anne glancing back, the sun making the green in her eyes look like moss. His breath caught in his throat before the door shut, separating them. He stood there for a while when a voice came from behind him.

"Weird isn't it?" he jumped and turned, Fahrenheit behind him. _Too damn quiet._

"What's weird?" he asked looking at her trying to sneak away without her noticing.

"Having your job walk out on you." she said, a smirk on her face that pissed him off. He turned making his way down the stairs.

"She's not a job." he shouted back and made his way outside.

It was still early, and he started walking down to the third rail. _No where else to go._

He wondered where she was now. They hadn't been apart for long, she'd been gone for longer last night but knowing she may not come back made him nervous. He was walking down the stairs smelling food cooking. Daisy was sitting there eating her breakfast when she looked over her shoulder at MacCready.

"What are you doing kid? You're better half left town a while ago I thought?" she said looking at him confused. _Are we already seen as a couple?_

"And leave you behind Daisy?" he chuckled sitting beside her, the chair squeaking slightly as he sat.

"You're a terrible liar MacCready." she laughed. Whitechapal floated over.

"What are you doing back here?" he asked, but still grabbing a whiskey and pouring it. He pushed it toward MacCready who took it and he took a long drink. It burned more in the morning, but it was still whiskey.

"Early isn't it?" Daisy asked and MacCready shook his head placing the empty glass down.

"It's already been that kind of day." he sighed and when Charlie went to grab it MacCready shook his head.

"I heard someone say they saw Hancock leaving with that girl," Daisy said looking at him suspiciously, "something happen?" and MacCready sighed. He'd never had a mother but sometimes Daisy felt like one.

"I think I fuc-messed up." he said watching Charlie hand him water, also pushing a plate of cooked meat and deviled eggs towards him. He ate slowly.

"Still doing that no cursing thing huh MacCready?" Charlie said, floating way. MacCready chewed the egg slowly, hating every minute of it.

"Yeah I am," he grumbled through food, taking his cap off and running his hand through his hair. He swallowed the egg and winced, before taking a long stip of water.

"What you think you did MacCready?" Daisy pushed her empty plate away, leaning back in her chair crossing her arms.

MacCready sighed, looking up at her, "I think I took too long figuring out how I feel about her." he said looking at Daisy, who seemed to have a smile tug on her face.

"Well, what do you feel?" Daisy asked. MacCready sighed thinking of how she had made him feel. He remembered how it felt kissing her, how her laugh rang in his ears, her eyes in the light.

"She makes me happy. Happier then anything has in a long time. She makes me feel like I can be better, and I should be better. Only other person who does that is Duncan." he looked up at Daisy who was smiling at him, something twinkling in her big eyes.

"You got it bad kid. You tell her all this?" she asked, amusement filling her voice.

"No. I don't know how, and I didn't know if I was ready, and now she's gone," he mumbled leaning on the bar, looking at the rest of the eggs.

"You're a bloody fool," Charlie said, taking the empty plate and floating away, leaving MacCready with his plate of eggs.

"Oh great, even the robots are making fun of me now." he grumbled. Daisy gave a coarse laugh.

"I think everything you're telling me, you should be telling her. It ain't doing no good inside there." she poked his shoulder. He turned his head looking at her.

"She's gone though," he said rubbing where she had poked him. _Didn't have to do that so hard._

"What is she never coming back?" Daisy started saying before it dawned on MAcCready he knew where she was going. _She's going to Red Rocket._ He started pulling himself up.

"Thanks for the advice Daisy. I think I'm gonna go find her." he started making his way to the door.

"Feel like I'm in a bloody soap opera." he heard Charlie grumble. Daisy laughed at him.

"Good luck MacCready, oh and before you go," MacCready turned looking at Daisy, "My moneys on you. Hancocks great but he doesn't hold a candle." she said and MacCready felt his ears go pink as he made his way out of the third rail yelling a thanks over his shoulder.

MacCready walked through the commonwealth like a man on a mission. It was hard, and in a fight with some mutants, he got a bullet to the leg, making him have to slow down. He felt impatience grow in his stomach as he injected the stimpak. Every time he had to stop he knew he was missing a very small window. Eventually, though he got to redrocket. It was nearly evening at that point. Outside was that robot, codsworth, talking to that black cat and orange cat who were rolling in the dirt playing.

"Break it up you two, your going to inj-" one of his eyes came up and looked at MacCready, "Mister MacCready what are you doing here? If you are looking for mum she left a few hours ago with that odd looking man."

 _God damn it._

He sighed, "I was hoping I could beat her here." he looked around the place and then at Codsworth. He really didn't want to go back to Goodneighbor.

"Hey Codsworth, do you mind...if I just wait here for her? She said it would be a couple of days and getting here on my own was a pain in the a-but. I can watch her cats and-" that's when Dogmeat came from the forest, a squirrel in his mouth. He looked at MacCready with his head to the side before running up to him, the squirrel still in his mouth. He jumped on MacCready his tail wagging.

"Hey Dogmeat," he said rubbing the dogs head. The squirrel fell from the slobbering mouth and the two cats walked over, taking it while he was distracted. Dogmeat let out a happy bark and MacCready looked at Codsworth.

"That would be fine sir, but the door is locked. Only Madam has the key." MacCready rolled his eyes, making his way to the window and letting himself in. He opened the door and dogmeat walked in happily.

"Oh...alright. I will let her know I tried to stop you though." The robot said floating its way to Sanctuary. With the robot gone MacCready looked around the small gas station, Dogmeat running to Anne's room. MacCready followed, stopping at a small fridge and grabbing a box of blamco before walking into the small room. Dogmeat and the cat laid on the bed, MacCready sat beside them leaning back on the bed, looking around the room. That was when he noticed the holotapes on the desk. There were three, two had names and one was blank, and looked in almost pristine condition. MacCready picked it up looking at before turning it and seeing the faint words _Hi Honey._ MacCready placed it down, beside the others, opening the blamco mac and cheese and started eating before noticing dogmeat and the cat sniffing around. He sighed and started sharing with the animals on the bed. After a while he just laid it on the ground and dogmeat jumped to the floor licking out the container. The cat looked happy and went back to sleep.

MacCready pulled off his shoes, then his coats and his shirt, laying on Anne's bed. It smelled like her, and he laid down on the small bed. _Should I be sleeping in the same bed?_

He didn't really have time to care or think about it, the cat purred beside him, and dogmeat was now laying at the end of bed on MacCready's feet. He couldn't get up now even if he wanted to. He sighed staring up at the ceiling, trying to figure out when she would be back. _Give it a day or two._

MacCready fell asleep, a flowery smell blanketing him.


	30. Made up my mind

MacCready woke up late the next day, the cat seemed to have left and Dogmeat had taken her place. He sat up, tangled up in blankets and Dogmeat looked at him, wagging his tail and yawning. MacCready reached over, patting his head. Dogmeat jumped off the bed and MacCready sat up, grabbing his shirt and pulling it on and looking around the small room. He could see light streaming in down the hall, and he looked at the alarm clock that was sitting on the desk.

It was around 9 am, later then MacCready usually woke up. He stood up stretching his arms over his head. He walked out of the room into the main room, grabbing his duster and throwing it on over his shirt, leaving his green jacket on the floor of Anne's bedroom. He walked outside into the day looking around, noticing the orange and black cat playing in the dirt, _That's all I've seen them do._

He walked towards a small garden where he could see she was growing some tatos, melons, carrots, gourds, mutfruits and corn. He looked at the garden impressed. She'd been out for...what two months and she already had a small farm. That must be why she had Codsworth coming over to check on the plants, along with the cats. He could see a small watering can. He picked it up, feeling it half full. He went over the plants watering them and then set the now empty watering can down where he'd picked it up. He was turning and going to head back in when he saw a figure walking down the road towards him. He was dressed in what looked like a costume.

"Can I help you?" MacCready asked, looking at the man. He had dark skin, a long face, and sad eyes.

"Codsworth mentioned Anne had a friend here. Just wanted to come check it out," he was eyeing MacCready, "you really a friend with Anne?" he asked, and MacCready noticed the laser musket in his hands, suddenly realizing how naked he was without his rifle.

"Yeah, I am. I'm the one who helped her kill Kellog. I was with her the other day when he went through his memories," he felt defensive speaking to his man, "now who are you?" he stood up straighter, Dogmeat coming up behind MacCready and sitting down. The man seemed to relax at that and put his gun away.

"Just wanted to make sure. You can never be too careful," he looked at the garden behind MacCready, "How'd you meet her? And why are you here?"

"She hired me about a week ago. Met in Goodneighbor," he could see the judgement flash through the man's eyes, "I decided I'd wait here until she comes back." he shifted uncomfortably.

"So you're a Mercenary huh," the man was rubbing his chin, "You ever think about fighting for a cause?" he asked and MacCready looked at him confused, he'd heard of plenty of causes, but none that wore what this guy wore.

"I'm a member of the Minutemen, we're always looking for new members," MacCready had heard whispers of the Minutemen, how they were all dead, he was talking to a ghost, "Anne never mentioned us?"

"No? Why would she?" he asked just feeling more and more questions start bubbling up. Who was this guy?

"Well, she's our leader." MacCready's eyes went wide and if he had a drink he would've spit it out. Anne? The leader of these guys? Did that mean she had a costume like that too?

"Never mentioned it...what exactly qualified a vault dweller to be the leader of the Minutemen?" he was still trying to wrap his head around what this man had said.

"We were trapped in Concord, and she fought her way up to us. Didn't kill a single raider but she managed to hit them enough times to make them run away. She fought off a deathclaw to save us," that blew MacCready out of the water now, were they talking about the same person, "she's got a good heart, and someone people will look up too. Made sense for her to be the leader." the man seemed amused that MacCready didn't know that. She hadn't even been able to shoot properly when he met her.

"She never mentioned it once. We've been busy with the whole, getting back her son, thing." He didn't intend to come off like a rude asshole, but he did.

"It's not really something to brag about yet, but we're changing that. We're setting up settlements all over the commonwealth, I was hoping to talk to her yesterday but she left before I could head over." he looked at MacCready, and Dogmeat ran up to Preston, who reached down to pet the dog.

"Well, she should be back in a day or two. I'm just here, holding down the fort," he started getting hot from the sun blazing on him, "was there anything else...or?" he said impatiently.

"That was it, just wanted to be safe," he stuck his hand out, "Preston Garvey."

MacCready didn't want too but he took the mans hand and shook it, "MacCready." the man nodded and started walking away, pulling out his weird looking gun.

"Well if you get bored out here, don't be afraid to come to see Sanctuary. I think you'll be impressed." MacCready rolled his eyes at that but yelled at the man sure. Once the man left MacCready walked inside opening the small fridge and grabbing a purified water. He saw the whiskey beside it, and was tempted to drink that, but instead stuck with the water. He pulled out a cigarette and sat there trying to figure out what to do. _Could try hunting._

MacCready was never good at hunting. Never had the patience for it. Now, with nothing to do, he felt like maybe giving it another try. He'd heard her mumble something about the radstags, and after the other night in Goodneighbor he suddenly remembered how much he had missed it; the sound of her voice.

He walked back inside, grabbing his hat where it had fallen off in his sleep and picking up his rifle and dogmeat started coming with him.

"No boy. Stay," he said patting the dogs head, Dogmeat whined, "Need you to protect those guys." he glanced at the two cats, still playing in the dirt. They seemed to be in a perpetual state of constantly fighting.

Dogmeat laid himself down in his dog house, and he thought he saw that bigger brown cat sneaking around. MacCready sighed to himself before making his way into the forest.

He wasn't good at being sneaky. When it came to people it was easy, most wouldn't notice a broken twig, but animals were different. They had spent hundreds of years learning to pick up on the signs of hunters. MacCready hated killing animals. When they attacked him it was different, he could justify it, but hunting defenceless animals always felt wrong to him. Maybe it was from growing up in a place where all you ate was cave fungus unless a friendly face stopped by with meat. One time the lone wanderer had brought them a brahmin, and he remembered Eclair being so happy. _Wonder where he is._

Those kids had been family growing up, but most had left the capital. Eclair had headed out East, for some place called New Vegas, claiming he'd make his fortune cooking for fancy rich people. That was a year before MacCready had left. Maybe he had made it, they'd never heard from him. Maybe one day MacCready would go out east too, see the NCR he'd heard so much about, and the New Vegas strip he'd heard the lone wanderer talk about. _One day at a time._

Right now he wanted to focus on figuring out tomorrow, and what he'd do when he saw Anne. _Some people slapped some sense into me, and I want to give it a shot._

No, that sounded too desperate. He would've sighed but he found he was holding his breath as he walked. He raised his scope, looking when he spotted movement.

 _Please don't be a yao guai, please don't be a yao guai._

The radstag lifted his head, his antlers on display as he looked around before bringing his head back down to the forest floor. MacCready let out a long breath, trying to figure out to do when the radstags head lifted as it had heard him. It darted off. _Damn it._

He kept walking, trying to get his thoughts in order before spotting a doe. He raised his sights looking at it before freezing. There, were two babies with it. He tried to convince himself to shoot but instead, he just lowered the gun and picked up a rock, throwing it in their direction. The radstags ran. _Easier to kill people then radstags._

He was started to get frustrated when he spotted the male radstag from earlier. It stood there, seeming to watch over the commonwealth with its two heads. MacCready was behind it, and he could see how the two heads moved separately. _Which one do I aim for?_

He raised his rifle, holding his breath, aiming for the left head. _Hope I picked right._

He pulled the trigger and the radstag fell. MacCready stood up proud of himself.

"Heck yes!" he said walking up to the radstag. It's one head was looking around, afraid, confused. Its eyes fell on him, terrified. _Oh that hurts._

He shot the other head quickly, petting the animals warm fur, "Thanks." he muttered picking the animal up and throwing it over his shoulders.

 _God, it's heavy._ He made his way back slowly to the red rocket, stopping occasionally and sitting staring at the radstag. Eventually, he made it, the sun getting low in the sky. Dogmeat ran up to him happily, sniffing the dead radstag. He set it down behind the station, trying to figure out how he was gonna butcher it. The cats came creeping around.

"Dogmeat, guard," he said and the dog sat in front of the radstag growling at the cats. They ran away. He needed a knife, realizing he actually didn't have one on him at the moment. He kept that in his green coat. He walked into red rocket, remembering he'd seen one on the workbench last time he was here. He walked in and turned to the workbench and froze.

Sitting on top, was Grognaks axe. He blinked a few times, waiting for it to disappear, but it didn't. He reached his hand out and touched it, feeling the smooth leather of its hilt in his hand.

"Holy crap," he muttered, picking it up in his hands. It was heavy, almost too heavy, but MacCready managed to hold it steady. He looked at the blade and gave it a weak swing, almost losing control of it.

 _She must've gone back._

He placed the axe back down, looking at it still. A part of him wanted to think maybe she'd gotten it for him, _but that's ridiculous_. She'd probably just gone back and picked it up. He sighed and started looking around the workbench before finding a knife. He picked it up and made his way back outside. Dogmeat was still sitting there guarding the radstag. He gave him a pat on the head and Dogmeat barked happily before laying down.

 _Okay, what did she say about skinning animals?_ Trying to remember when the Lone Wanderer had taught him how to butcher an animal. _Stay away from this part, it's where the waste is stored. You cut into it and it'll stink and ruin the meat._ MacCready worked slow, Trying to stay careful as he worked. It took an hour, but eventually, he had most of the meat off the animal. Anything he didn't want he threw in a bucket. He sighed walking to the water pump and washing his hands off. It was dark out now, but he was proud he'd managed to get as much off as he had. He didn't really know what he had been doing, so what he managed to get was impressive to him. He sighed, not wanting to work, but now that he had this meat he was hungry. _What was that recipe Lucy used to make…_

For the next hour, he put a lot of the meat in the fridge and had put the extra meat he didn't want down for the animals in two bowls. They'd ran over and started eating, leaving MacCready to work on his own. It took a while but he managed to get a stew finished. It was dark now, and he took the pot inside and set it on the counter and sighed to himself. The small station felt empty, with the animals outside eating. It was weird, not being on the road, in some stinky hotel or something. He sat there eating when the small grey cat walked over, sitting next to him the counter and licking itself. He watched the cat as he ate, watching it stretch and then jumped off the counter walking to Anne's room. MacCready followed the cat, making his way to the room. He sat down on the bed looking around the room.

Sitting there, on the cabinet, was the little figure. He picked it up in his hands looking at, before noticing the paper he had read before. He picked it up, looking at a new page.

 _Day ?Not enough time too check_

 _Back here only for a short pit stop. Grabbing my Power Armour and heading to the glowing sea. Had to leave Mac. I feel lonely. Hancocks great, He's been telling me a lot about the commonwealth, but..he's not Mac. I told him my feelings and he hasn't told me how he feels yet. I mean..we've had a few moments...maybe I'm coming on too strong? Everything changed once we managed to get the cure for his son, Duncan. I hope he's gotten the cure. I can tell how much MacCready loves him. Even if we aren't going to go past friendship, I'm happy I could've helped him._

That was where it ended and MacCready ran his hand over the page. Knowing that she was just happy to have helped him made him feel...full. He placed the piece of paper back, holding the solider in his hands still. He laid down on the bed, the little grey cat laying beside him. He remembered what Vadim had said.

 _What kind of Karma did I get to find this woman?_

His eyes closed and he slowly drifted off to sleep.

A few hours later MacCready woke up, sitting up and instantly grabbing his rifle. He could hear loud footsteps, the grey cat had run away, and he could hear dogmeat barking.

He pulled himself up, grabbing his shirt and pulling it on before making his way through the station. He could hear noise in the garage. He stopped outside the doorway.

"Dogmeat what are you doing inside? Did Codsworth let you in?"

It was from Anne. He placed his rifle against the wall and turned in the doorway of the garage looking at her.

Her hair was shorter, having gone from her back to a bit below her ears. He could see looking at it, that she had cut it with a knife. She looked tired, her body was slumped, and he could see the dark shadows under her eyes. She glanced up at him, looking exhausted

"MacCready?! We went to Goodneighbor and Charlie said you ran off. I was worried you ha-" he took a few steps before her taking her face in his hands. Her face moved as he pulled it up like she knew what to do. His lips met hers, soft and warm.

Her hands moved to his, wrapping around his fingers. She kissed him back, seeming to melt into him.

He pulled away and looked down at her, "I made up my mind." he said and she laughed. It was such a nice sound he had missed it.

"Took your time," she said, before pulling his face down and kissing him again.

* * *

 **AN:** IT HAPPENEDDDDDD!


	31. One woman merc

They ended up going to bed after they kissed. He'd tried to say he should sleep on the couch, but she just rolled her eyes and dragged him to her small bed. As soon as she was on the bed she fell asleep. MacCready laid beside her, pulling her sleeping form against him. With her body warm against him, he fell asleep.

He woke up the next morning, Anne still sleeping beside him. He looked down at her, pushing some hair out her face. Her eyes fluttered in her sleep, and he could see her mouth moving in her sleep. He smiled, his hand now running over her jaw.

 _What does this mean?_

Was she his girlfriend? He hadn't ever...really had a girlfriend. He and Lucy had kind of been a couple for a month before he proposed. That had been a long time ago though, and he barely remembered those few weeks. He didn't even really remember what they had done for dates, they had just spent time together.

 _Well, that's what we're already doing._

Anne's eyes opened and she looked at him, sleep slowly disappearing from her eyes.

"Wake up sleepy head," he said softly and she smiled at him, nuzzling her face into his neck.

"I'd rather not," she mumbled her breath was hot against his neck, "but we should probably head out into the wastes again. Got some stuff to find." she pulled back looking up at him. Her eyes were so bright, he had missed it.

"Yeah what happened in the glowing sea?" he asked and she pulled her self up, sitting down and looking at her pipboy, pressing the screen and going through things.

"We met Virgil. He's a super mutant," she said glancing at him, but still, she said the words as if they were no big deal. She'd been out here long enough that wasn't normal, right?

"Really?" He hadn't expected there to be any super mutants out here that could talk. He'd only met two super mutants that could talk, and those were always under very special circumstances on why. He should've figured it though, with the institute here.

She nodded, "He's left the institute and made himself into a super mutant just to escape the institute. According to him if we can find a courser we can get into the institute," she shrugged and pulled herself off the bed, stretching, her shirt raising and showing her upper thighs. He pulled his eyes away from the soft flesh. He tried to focus on what she had said, though he honestly didn't really know what a courser was.

"Well that seems like we should be trying to find a courser then?" he said pulling himself to the edge of the bed and rubbing his face, feeling the stubble on his chin, scratching against his palm. It probably wouldn't grow past that.

"I think before we do that, I have some things I want to do," she grabbed her shorts off the ground and pulled them on quickly, "I found this thing about the freedom trail I want to check out, Check out this brotherhood, and find you a suit of power armour." MacCready looked at her confused. He hadn't expected her too put this off.

"I appreciate the sentiment boss, but I never have been fan of being clunky." he grabbed his shirt off the ground. She rolled her eyes, grabbing her jacket. He pulled the shirt on, hearing her move around the room. He popped his head out and looked at her.

"I would rather have you with me in the glowing sea with me then Hancock," she pulled her jacket on, "Not that I dislike Hancock, I'm just, not really used to fighting with anyone but you." she looked down at him, and he took a moment to realize what she had said before it hit.

A smile spread across MacCready face, "Well when you say it like that," he chuckled his hands going on her waist, pulling her closer to him. She smiled leaning herself down towards him. Her lips brushed against his and he felt hunger in him that he had been ignoring start to roar.

"Hey you home?" a voice came from outside redrocket. Anne froze before sighing, pulling her self away from MacCready and walking out of the room. He let out an irritated groan before grabbed his coats throwing them on as he followed her.

"Hi Preston." he heard coming around the corner. There was the guy from yesterday standing outside talking to Anne, leaning against the building.

"Hello General, how were your travels." his eyes moved to MacCready and he nodded at him. He realized it was probably weird to see them both come out of her bedroom.

 _Does he know? No he can't, this just happened._

Anne shrugged, "I'm okay. Tired, but okay," she leaned against the wall and MacCready sat on the stool resting his face on his hand and watching the two, "What can I do for you Preston? Another settlement?" Preston laughed.

"Not this time. We've finally gotten big enough that we're having trouble communicating with all our settlements. It's a good problem to have, and I have a solution," the way he said it MacCready didn't like, "I think it's time to retake the castle. It used to be the Minuteman HQ, way before my time. Well fortified, centrally located, and most importantly it has a powerful radio transmitter we can use to broadcast to the whole commonwealth." Anne looked at him confused, MacCready was irritated that the top thing on this guys list was a decent radio transmitter.

"So what happened to this Castle if it was so well fortified?" she crossed her arms, looking at Preston now with skeptacism.

"That was long before I joined up, but the story I heard was that some kind of monster came out of the sea and destoryed the fort." MacCready shok his head, the way Preston said it made it seem like it was no big deal.

"No that's not terrifying." MacCready said from behind Anne. Preston seemed to look at him with annoyance but ignored him.

 _You said a monster, you don't get to judge me._

Preston looked past them it seemed, his eyes almost glazing over as if he was in deep thought"A lot of the leaders were killed in that battle, and I guess nobody ever felt it was worth the risk to try and retake it...I've always wondered if losing the radio stations was the beginning of all our later problems," his focus drifted back to them and he straightened his back looking at Anne, "So, should I have an assault force assemble near the castle?" Anne looked at him confused and then rubbed her chin. There was silence for a while, and he glanced at Anne seeing her clearly lost in thought.

"Yeah, let's do this. We can meet in two days time, at 12 o'clock," she said looking at him. PReston smiled at her and nodded.

"We'll do some recon and meet you outside the castle. See you there." Preston turned with that, walking back to Sanctuary clearly pleased with himself. MacCready let out a long sigh and looked at Anne who turned to him.

"What?" she said crossing her arms, looking at MacCready with skepticism. He could see had picked up his annoyance in the sigh.

"We have no idea what's there, and you just offered to send what...12 people? To go check it out?" he shook his head. She was still new too this, she had no idea that when they said monster, they meant monster.

"We have to take the first step. I'm sure if when they do recon tomorrow if it seems like something we can't handle, they will have us come back and figure out the next step." she walked past him making her way to the fridge. She had tensed a bit, and he realized he sounded like he was saying what she was doing was a bad idea.

 _What she's doing is a bad idea though._

"I'm just saying, no one really knows what this monster could be. The sea is terrifying," he shivvered thinking about some of the things he had seen wash up on beaches, "you never know what's in it." she turned to him and looked at him amused before letting out a small chuckle.

"What you scared," she opened the fridge and he started to give her a rebuttable but she spoke first, "What's this?" MacCready walked over seeing the stew he'd made and the extra meat. He'd completely forgotten it.

"Oh yeah. Yesterday I was bored so I tried hunting. I took down a radstag and I ended up making a stew Lucy had taught me." he shrugged and Anne smiled, looking back in the fridge. She looked even more amused now, he wasn't sure if he liked that.

"Didn't know you could cook," she said picking the pot up and placing it on her stove, pressing some nobs and pulling out a carton of cigarettes and placing it on the counter.

"Barely," he picked up the carton, "so what's the plan after breakfast then?" MacCready placed a cigarette in his mouth, lighting it and taking a long inhale before handing it to Anne. She took it before holding it to the stove. It caught fire and she pulled the cigarette away quick, placing it in her mouth and then grabbing a spoon.

"I say we head south. Check out some of my settlements, then see what we find." She said before taking a long inhale on the cigarette. Her eyes closed for a moment before she blew smoke out of her nose. She held the cigarette out too him.

"What ever you say boss," he took the cigarette and she scruched her face up while looking at the stew as he said that., "What?"

"I'm not your boss anymore. You keep calling me boss people are going to get the wrong idea." she glanced at him, and he felt his stomach tighten. This was happening sooner then he had thought.

"What idea?" he asked trying to play dumb and she grabbed two bowls.

"That I'm your boss and not your girlfriend," she sounded amused as she ladled the stew into the bowls, glancing at him from the corner of her eyes.

"Are...are you my girlfriend?" he asked and she placed the stew infront of him and smiled, sitting across of him. He felt his ears get hot as she looked at him. He felt like a kid again having this stupid conversation

"Well, I mean if I'm not I can go see Hancock right?" she had an eyebrow raised and MacCready furrowed his brow in annoyance at that. She was joking, but he still hated the idea of it.

"Guess I'm a one woman merc now huh?" he said smiling slightly at her over the counter. She laughed before they started eating, Anne explaining what exactly had happened in the glowing sea.


	32. Quit calling me that

After eating the two made had packed up, taking Dogmeat with them. She'd locked the door and the two of them started walking south-ish. She'd said something about some place called sunset drive in. The walk wasn't long, the biggest problems they encountered being blood bugs, molerats, and some wild dogs. After taking out the first blood bugs Anne let out a sigh.

"I missed fighting with you," she said looking up at him, crouched in front of him. He smiled, putting his hand in her hair, ruffling it. It moved a lot more now that it was shorter.

"By the way why did you cut your hair?" he asked as she stood up, running her fingers in her hair. It wasn't too short, just a bit above her shoulders. He could see that the hair was a bit choppy as if she had done it with a knife.

"You were right. We were coming back and I left the armour. Someone snuck up on me and grabbed my hair. He started to uh...hurt me, when Hancock ripped the guy off. I was fine, should've known better. We cut my hair off right after." as she said it MacCready felt anger start to course through him. He should've been there, he should've gone with her.

"Are you okay?" he asked, trying to keep his fear out of his voice but it didn't work. He started examining her face, noticing the scars that were there, but there were none that looked new. Where he had attacked her was covered. Anne smiled weakly as if trying to soften his fears.

"I'm fine. I'm lucky Hancock was there. Some of the raiders friends came by after. Took a bad shot to the leg, and Hancocks not as good as getting shrapnel out." Anne smirked at that, and MacCready let out a long sigh.

"Jesus Anne." he rubbed his face closing his eyes. He felt her arm reach over and grab him, and he peaked at her between his fingers.

"I'm okay, really." she smiled at him, tugging at his arm. He dropped his hands and let out a low groan. Anne turned and started walking down the road again.

"Just be careful. There are things in the wasteland worse then raiders." he caught up with her quickly, and Anne walked slightly before him, fiddling with her pipboy again. They walked in silence before he remembered something.

"You fought a deathclaw?!" he asked and Anne turned towards him look confused for a moment.

"Those things you were telling me about?" she said walking backwards well facing him. She shrugged.

"When you helped Preston, he said you fought a deathclaw." he threw his arms up slightly and Anne paused before her eyes went wide.

"That was a deathclaw...god the name fits," she turned shaking her head, "If we never see one of those things again it'll be too soon." MacCready laughed catching up to her and walking beside her. The two walked the rest of the way talking about MacCready's experiences with deathclaws. The more he talked about it, the more questions Anne had.

After another half hour, they entered a small community, with a few houses, and what looked like a clinic in a ruined building. Some people waved at her, and Anne smiled waving back. Some people ran up, thanking her for setting up the community. She always just nodded.

 _She built this place?_

They walked into a clinic and a woman looked up at them in a doctors coat. She had red hair with grey streaks and some odd looking glasses on her face that looked like she had made them herself.

"Anne, good to see you." the woman stood up walking up to her and the two shook hands. The woman had wrinkles around her deep brown eyes.

"Good to see you too Mary." MacCready looked between the two women, who looked at each other like old friends.

"What are you doing here?" the woman asked, noticing MacCready behind her but then focusing back on Anne as if he wasn't too important.

"Just wanted to check in. Things seem to be coming along nicely." Anne said, leaning against the table the woman was behind, who took her glasses off and started wiping them with a dirty cloth.

 _Seems counterproductive._

"Clinics doing well, the farm is getting ready to expand. We should be getting a brahmin in a day or two. Jill has plans to start on another house soon." _Holy shit._ This place was growing, fast. Most settlements took years, but this one was already starting to get bigger than most.

"Sounds great, do you guys need anything?" Anne asked, pulling away from the table and straightening up. She rolled her neck, trying to get the kinks out. The woman shook her head.

"No, we're good...but some merchants have said that down south they've been hearing heavy fire at Cambridge. Merchants are worried because whatever it is, sounds like it has a lot of firepower." the woman said, moving to a cabinet on the wall, opening it and started going through it.

"We'll check it out, I'll see what we can find," she said and the woman glanced at them nodding, closing the cabinet and walking over and placing some stimpaks on the table.

"Here, take some extra stimpaks. If it's as bad as those merchants have been saying you will need it," the woman said making her way to the back of the clinic. Anne quickly took them and placed them in her pack, her eyes going over MacCready for a second and then back to the doctor who was now walking up a set of stairs.

"Thanks Mary. I'll see you when I see you," Anne said walking out of the building. MacCready followed close behind her.

"Guess we know where we are going," Anne said and MacCready gently took her arm in his hand. She turned slightly and looked at him confused.

"Are you sure we should check it out? From what that lady was saying, it sounds like it could be a lot bigger then we are prepared for." MacCready let go of her, pulling his arm away and looking at her. Her brows furrowed as she thought of what he said.

"We can go check it out, if it's bad we'll leave. We know our limits at this point I think." she looked up at him and MacCready let out a sigh. He could argue with her, but he decided not to start that debate.

"Alright, you lead the way boss." as the words left his mouth she scruched her face up.

"Quit calling me that!" she said and he laughed. They made their way out of the small community, him calling her boss and her yelling at him to stop.

They walked for a long while, Getting to cambridge with relative ease in the early afternoon.

They were walking down a road when Anne stopped, looking down at her pipboy and fiddling a bit. MacCready looked at her confused.

"What?" he asked and Anne shook her head, telling him to stop talking. She tuned the radio slightly before she turned to static.

"Definitely preferred the music," he mumbled and Anne waved her hand at him. They continued walking listening to the static until they got to cambridge. Ghouls roamed the streets. A lot of ghouls roamed around.

"Ahhhh shit," she muttered pulling down her rifle. MacCready now just instictivly got behind her, and she crouched. They just did it naturally now, like a well maintained machine. As they moved more ferals crawled out from the city, but mines littered the ground he noticed. Anne was about to step on him when he grabbed her, pulling her back and pointing at it. She nodded and they stepped back, picking the ghouls off from afar.

As they walked forward sometimes the ferals would step on the mines, doing the work for them, but occasionally they'd get around them, they were quick though, and the two of them managed to quickly kill any ghouls that got close. MacCready was driving a knife into a ghouls head when the pipboy started talking.

"This is Paladin Danse on frequency 9-5. All brotherhood of Steel units are to return to the Cambridge Police Station immediately for reassignment. Repeating." The voice sounded robotic as it repeated the message. MacCready sighed raising his rifle again and aiming for another ghoul.

"Should've figured it was the brotherhood," he said and Anne looked at him confused before turning her attention back to the ghouls.

"Who? Those people on the ship?" she asked, and he fired his rifle. A ghoul fell to the ground and he heard Anne's rifle fire beside him.

MacCready lowered his rifle, looking over the road, "Yeah. They think they're above the rest of us since they keep technology and hoard it. They used to not be so bad…" he was going to continue but then a ghoul came crawling out from beneath a car. He raised his rifle but before he could even set his sights on it a loud bang went out and the ghoul went limp. He looked over at Anne who held Kellogs gun in her non-dominant hand, still pointing it at the body. MacCready really hated it when she used that.

They moved between the buildings quietly, taking out enemies whenever they ran into them.

At one point though a ghoul grabbed Anne's arm from behind a wall, sinking its teeth into her flesh. She let out an angry yell and MacCready felt his body freeze.

 _No, no, no, please not again._

"Euugghhh...shut up!" He shouted driving his blade into its head, and it let out a sad groan and then letting go and falling backwards. He pulled the blade out and the ghoul fell. MacCready looked at Anne whose arm was at an odd angle and bleeding. She looked down at it and groaned. He instantly started going through his pack when she raised her arm.

"No, we can get to the compound and deal with it there. I don't wanna waste time here with these ghouls." Anne said through gritted teeth and MacCready opened his mouth to argue, but Anne shook her head and started making her way through the buildings again. He clenched his teeth, feeling frustration go over him for a moment before he sighed and followed her.

Eventually, they came across a man in power armour shooting ghouls. Anne jumped from the building and made her way to him, shooting ghouls with Kellogs pistol in her non-injured hand. They never took their eyes off the man in the armour though.

 _Oh boy here we go._ He followed her, staying behind her and shooting ghouls. Anne was close to him, sometimes he felt her arm bump into his legs, and he looked down at her again. Her arm was bleeding more and he paused for a moment before a ghoul started charging at Anne.

 _Okay, let's get this over with already._

He felt himself focus more, and quickly they had the area cleared and Anne pulled herself up from the ground, holding her arm. Once the area was clear the man in the armour walked up to her.

"We appreciate the assistance civilian. But what's your business here?" the man's voice sounded more robotic than the synths, and he looked it too. Clearly the guy from the radio.

"Pest exterminator. I heard you had a feral problem," she said crossing her arms and smirking up at him. MacCready moved beside her, smiling slightly. The man's face didn't move.

"Evading my questions is a surefire way to get yourself ejected from the compound," the man sounded annoyed now, "Are you from a local settlement?" Anne shook her head.

"Do all these questions really matter? After all, I helped you fight those ferals," she said shifting her weight to her left foot, her shoulder rubbing against his own. He glanced over at her and could see the blood continuing to flow from her arm.

The man looked surprise, "You make a fair point. If I appear suspicious it's because our mission here has been difficult," that didn't surprise MacCready, problably was the brotherhoods fault, "Since we've arrived in the commonwealth we've been constantly underfire." he started making his way into the building before stopping and looking at Anne.

"If you want to continue pitching in, we could use an extra gun on our side." Anne seemed surprised but nodded.

"I want to help but I don't like the secrecy. Who are you? Really?" They already knew who they were, but he could see she was testing him; wanted too see if he would tell the truth. The man sighed.

"Very well. I'm Paladin Danse. Brotherhood of Steel," he raised his hand, pointing at the door where two people stood, "Over there is Scribe Haylen and Knight Rhys." he lowered his arm. His movements were all so...stiff. Typical brotherhood.

"I've been trying to send a disstress call to our vessel at boston international airport, but the signals too weak to reach them." he was saying before a woman walked over, placing herself between Anne and Danse.

"Sir, If I may?" the woman was more fluid then this man, more lifelike. He glanced between the two of them before looking back at the robot man. _So he's in charge._

"Proceed Haylen." the man said in a commanding voice. It was almost enough to make him do a full body eye roll, he settled for keeping it on his face. _God damn Brotherhood soldiers._

"I've modified the radio tower on the roof of the police station, but I'm afraid it just isn't enough. What we need is something that will boost the signal." Haylen turned back to Danse and he nodded at her with approval.

"Our target is arcjet systems, and it contains the technology we need, the deep range transmitter. We infiltrate the facility, secure the transmitter and bring it back here," hearing this big hulk of a man say infiltrate felt weird and MacCready had to look down to hide the smile on his face, _Brotherhood hates jokes,_ "What do you say? You willing to lend the brotherhood of steel a hand?" the man looked at her with an odd look of desperation.

Anne glanced sideways at MacCready, he shrugged and Anne nodded, "It's a good plan, if we make it back."

Danse stood straighter, "I assure you I wouldn't undertake the mission unless I had confidance in your abilities." he walked past her now to the two going inside the building. Anne glanced at MacCready who shook his head.

"I don't know. Playing solider was never one of my lifes ambitions...but if it gets you closer to whatever you're looking for, you might wanna stick around." MacCready said crossing his arms. Anne nodded taking his hand in hers and giving it a squeeze.

"Come on, lets check it out." she smiled starting to pull her hand away. MacCready pulled her closer and she stopped turning to look at him. The three of the soliders glanced at them before making their way inside, one limping.

He leaned down kissing her quickly, her hand still in his. He pulled away and she looked at him moving closer.

"You just scared me earlier." he said softly her lips brushing against his and they kissed once more. She raised her one arm when he felt her wince and he chuckled pulling away.

"Let's get your arm checked out." he said laughing as they walked into the police station.


	33. Roger that

Apologies for posting kind of late guys, It's been a stressful school week. Hope everyone is doing good and school/work/whatever is treating you well.

* * *

Once they got into the police station Danse had started talking but MacCready had raised his hand to stop him.

"Give her a minute, Gotta deal with her arm," MacCready said and Danse looked at him startled before turning his attention back to Anne, noticing now her bleeding arm.

"That looks bad. Go speak with Haylen, she can patch you up." he gestured with his head towards the young woman who had spoken up earlier. She was now talking to the man on the ground, applying bandages to a wound on his leg.

Anne moved slowly towards Haylen, and MacCready came up beside Anne. He knew her legs were fine, she wasn't going to trip or anything, but he still worried.

"Scribe Haylen?" Anne asked and the woman glanced over at her. She seemed to notice the blood on Anne's arm instantly.

"Sorry for the other guys." Scribe Haylen said as she finished with the bandage on the man. She stood up and wiping her hands looking at Anne, who looked back at her confused. Every other person here had been a bit skeptical of the two strangers, but not this lady. MacCready had been around the brotherhood a lot, and he had to admit that meeting one who wasn't instantly trying to shoot you or take any tech you had was weird.

"Why are you cutting me so much slack?" Anne asked as if she was reading MacCready's mind. He stayed silent, watching the exchange between the two women.

"I uh...I joined the brotherhood not too long ago. I used to be like you...wandering alone. So I know what it feels like when every single person you bump into sticks a gun in your face," she straightened up looking more confident, "look it may not seem like it, but Danse is a good man. He's just all soldier. Protocol is his bread and butter." MacCready shook his head, slightly at that. He knew enough about the Brotherhood to know that the word good was debatable with them, now.

"And Rhys, well let's just say he's as hardheaded as a mister gutsy. But you know what, i'd trust both of them with my life because they're good people and that's hard to come by these days." MacCready looked at the man on the ground, who had his head resting against the wall. He looked mean; like he was angry at everything. He wasn't sure if he trusted this woman entirely in that statement.

"That's good to know," Anne said moving to raise her arm and wincing. Scribe Haylen came and took a look, poking slightly at the wound and making Anne hiss through her teeth. He couldn't help but feel his body seem to go on edge when she did that.

"Oh, a ghoul got you good. Here sit," Scribe Haylen said well pulling off her pack and started. Anne sat on the sleeping bag on the ground and MacCready crouched beside her, helping her out of the coat slowly. She made no sounds but he could see her chewing on her lip, trying to ignore the pain.

It was bad, the cuts were ragged, where the fingers of the ghoul had gone through the flesh. The skin was already turning an odd yellowy colour from some infection if they didn't do something she could lose that entire arm.

"Oh, that's bad." Scribe Haylen said, reaching into her pack and pulling out some med-x. Anne's eyes went wide when she saw the needle and started shaking her head.

"No please. I'll do it without the med-x." maybe no one else heard it, but he heard the fear in her voice. She was terrified of med-x. MacCready sighed, and Anne glanced at him. He gave her a small smile, trying to comfort her.

"It's going to hurt a lot if I don't," she said and Anne shook her head again, "Okay, okay. No med-x."Scribe Haylen sighed, placing the med-x back in her pack and pulling out some stimpaks. MacCready sat beside Anne, placing his hand on her shoulder. She looked at him and he gave a tired smile. He had too keep her attention off that.

"Hey how you doing boss," he said the word smugly. Her brow scrunched in frustration and then she sucked a breath in as the stimpak went in. If she'd had a witty response to him calling her boss again, it wasn't there anymore.

"Okay, I'm going to do some quick stitchs and then give you another stimpak." Scribe Haylen said, and MacCready glanced at her, seeing her already holding the needle and thread in her hand. He turned his attention back too Anne, who had her eyes closed now.

"Yeah, yeah. Let's get this over." Anne said and the scribe started working quickly. Anne's brows were knit together sometimes in pain, and he rubbed her shoulder trying to think of something to talk about.

"Mac what in the capital wasteland like?" Anne asked through gritted teeth, and MacCready sighed. Mentioning he was from the capital wasteland probably wasn't the best idea around these guys. Haylen glanced at him he noticed from the corner of her eyes, and he sighed. No point avoiding it.

"It's better now then it was ten years ago. That's for sure. I mean...it's still got problems," he glanced at Haylen and then back at Anne, "But it's a lot better. Clean water, a lot more communities that aren't just raiders." He didn't feel like mentioning the raiders had just been replaced by the brotherhood.

"Where did you live?" she asked, her face in clear pain, but trying to distract herself.

"Well you know about little lamplight, and I lived in little bigtown for a bit...but that got boring. Before I left I lived on a small farm outside of a place called Greyditch." Anne's eyes stayed close but a small smile pulled on her face over the pain.

"You? Farming?" I don't believe it." she said through gritted teeth and MacCready chuckled. Scribe Haylen was almost done, but he could see she was listening. _No, it's fine, not totally uncomfortable and creepy._

"Well with Lucy gone, I had to take care of Duncan, and no one wants a merc with a kid strapped to their chest. A old friend of Lucy's, Bryan, helped me get a small farm. I grew a few plants but I don't have the patience for it. Mostly I just lived off the caps I had made from being a merc." he said and Anne let out a soft chuckle as if she was imagining him trying to farm and instead yelling at the tatos to grow faster. He'd only done that once.

"Alright, I'm done with the stitches. I'm going to inject one more stimpak, and bandage you up." Haylen said, pulling out the second stimpak and Anne gave a nod. MacCready partly wanted to tell her to quit eavesdropping but it wasn't like she had a choice.

"Did Duncan like it?" Anne asked, and MacCrady turned his attention back to her. He smiled a bit, remebering Duncan on the farm. How long had that been now?

"He loved it. He would spend all day out behind it, just running around. One day he found this puppy, thought it was dead. My...friend suggested we put her down, since she was the runt, but...I don't know. I couldn't do it and somehow I managed to nurse that pup back to health. So Duncan and this dumb dog would be running all over the farm after that, ruining any crops I did have." he smiled, remembering watching Og run out behind the small shack, tripping, and Duncan chasing after her, tripping himself. MacCready would have to carry the two in, all covered in mud. He'd been so annoyed at the time, but now he would give anything to see it again.

"Alright, you're all good to go. Just be careful," Haylen said, putting her medical supplies back in her pack. Anne's eyes opened and she let out a long sigh and looked at MacCready. Her eyes had a smile behind it as if she had been standing beside him watching the two run around. She let out a groan and pulled herself up slowly.

"Now to talk to Danse." she said as she pulled her coat over her shoulders before slowly making her way over to the giant on the other side of the room.

Danse looked at her, his arms darting to her now wrapped up arm and nodding, "Follow me, and try not to lag behind." he said making his way outside again. MacCready felt like maybe arguing with the guy, telling him how she had just gotten stitches but he was out the door in seconds and Anne was close behind him.

Danse started making his way over the bodies, "We'll take this alley." he said turning and pointing down the small alley way.

 _Would he even fit down there_?

Before they could say anything he was already stomping his way down the alley, trudging around the bodies of ghouls. Anne and MacCready followed and he noticed Anne sometimes grabbing ammo off the ground, things others wouldn't have even noticed. _Always resourceful._

They stepped out of the city and Danse stood ahead, pointing over the horizon, "Arcjet is just west of here if we take this road we should be able to avoid the larger packs infesting cambridge." He said in his robotic voice. MacCready rolled his eyes at his statement.

"No duh," he muttered, and Anne shot him a look. He just looked down at the ground sheepishly. He'd tried to be quiet...kind of

"Traveling this far from the police station is a risk, but getting that transmitter up and running needs to be our top priority. If it was up to me, I'd relocate my team, but Scribe Haylen detected some disturbing energy readings in the area that need to be investiaged," Danse kept talking, something MacCready hadn't expected...just thought he would power down or something, "We don't know much about them, except that they're short lived and broadcast on a frequency only obtainable with a high level of technology." They kept moving down the road, Anne looking at the man keenly with Kellogs pistol in her hands. MacCready pulled his eyes from the gun and then back towards the road.

"We're concerned. Whoever or whatever is creating thse energy readings might be a potential threat. So it's our job to investiagate them." he said that with a passion in his voice that made MAcCready roll his eyes. The Brotherhood and their tech valued it over human lifes. Once he'd even dreamed of joining the brotherhood, but not anymore. They walked for a while before coming to a bridge with raiders beneath it. Now Anne just automatically dropped to her knee's, and MacCready placed himself behind her. With the three of them, it was quick work. Danse was trained well, he seemed to know exactly what he was doing with his laser rifle, and Anne and MacCready already had their rhythm down. When it was all done MacCready held his hand out, pulling her up and she gave him a small grin that made his skin feel hot. She walked past him and he now noticed Danse looking at them seemingly impressed, though he said nothing.

"It might surprise you to learn my recon team isn't the first to visit the commonwealth," Danse continued with what he had been saying earlier, "Over the last seven years two other teams were sent here Brotherhoodherhood to gather technology The first teams mission was a huge success. They cam back with crates full of pre-war artifacts and documents." MacCready was surprised this man was talking so much. Most Brotherhood soliders he met wouldn't even say they collected pre-war artifiacts. _Maybe it's just how we look Like we don't care._ And he didn't.

"The second one was not so fortunate. Shortly after they arrived we lost contact with them and they haven't been heard from since. As for as my team goes, we've lost four good men to this god-forsaken wasteland. We've been a target from the moment we arrived," MacCready rolled his eyes again, "But despite our setbacks, I don't intend to give up and head home, or end up missing." He quit talking after that, letting the radio and Travis' nervous rambling fill the air. They ran into some bloatflies and wild dogs but the rest of the walk was quiet which MacCready was grateful for.

They approached the large metal building with bright yellow paint, "There it is. Arcjet systems. There shouldn't be any exterior security, so we'll head in through the front." Danse led the way, MacCready and Anne walking beside each other, glancing at each other occasionally with skeptacism. Anne had never seen the brotherhood before; were they like the army before the bombs dropped? They liked to say they were.

The building inside was ruined, and Danse stomped through the building destroying any chance of sneaking they had, "It was corperations like this that put the last nail in the coffin for mankind." he said in a matter of fact voice. Anne looked at MacCready with a smirk and he had to surpress a snide comment. _He has no idea who he's talking to._

"They exploited technology for their own gain, pocketing the cash and ignoring the damage they'd done." Anne followed behind him, opening her mouth to say something and closing it, just looking at MacCready with an amused look. He rolled his eyes at Danse and Anne let out a quiet giggle.

They moved through doorways, entering a small room, full of destroyed protectrons. Danse turned and looked at Anne; it looked like that giant robot the brotherhood had once had talking to someone. _What was that thing called again?_

"Look at these wrecks. It appears the facilities automated securties already been dealt with." he sounded dissapointed as if he had wanted another firefight. Hadn't he said earlier they had lost four guys?

"I see that," Anne said glancing around the room and back at Danse. MacCready leaned against the desk watching Anne start to pick through the metal for anything.

"Damn it. I was hoping to avoid this. Look at the evidence. There isn't a single spent ammunation casing or drop of blood in sight," Dance gestured around the room, MacCreadys eyes scanned the surfaces as well, he was right, "These robots were assaulted by institute synths." Danse sound confident, and MacCready had to agree. This had the institute painted all over it.

"I'll be on the lookout." Anne said pulling her rifle from her back and holstering Kellogs pistol. He felt himself relax slightly; he didn't like it when Anne used that pistol.

"Roger that. Let's move out." Danse said with a nod and continued on his path through the building. MacCready sighed standing up straighter and glancing at Anne who gave him a shrug.

They made their way into the next room, "This place is a mess, but I still see a few pieces of salvage that the Brotherhood might be interested in. After we're done here I'll have to mark this place for a sweep and retrieve." Danse said, but the words seemed more to himself. Didn't notice Anne was snatching stuff off tables behind his back, it would probably piss him off. They kept walking for a while before making it too a room that had a large closed door.

"Looks like a dead end," Danse muttered, "See if you can find a way to get that door open. I'm going to reconnoiter the area." _What the hell does that mean?_

Danse walked through the room and MacCreadyleaned against the wall, watching Anne start to make her way towards the terminal like she always did. He wasn't paying attention really, just watching the light reflect of Anne's eyes. She tucked her hair behind her ears and he smiled to himself before noticing e large man approaching him.

"We haven't introduced ourselves. I'm Danse," he said with a nod towards MacCready. He pushed himself off the wall and stood straighter out of habit from his dealings with the brotherhood.

"Uh..yeah I'm MacCready," he nodded towards Anne who was typing on the computer, "I guess I'm her partner," he said rubbing the back of his neck. _No that doesn't sound right either._

"I can see that. You two work well together," Danse said glancing at her, "Known each other long I assume?" he said and MacCready chuckled rubbing his chin trying to count the days since he had met her.

"Only a week and a half I guess." _About that?_ Felt like longer. It felt like he had known her for years at this point

Danse looked surprised by that, "Didn't expect that. You two work like a unit that's been fighting together for years." he said looking back down at MacCready. MacCready shrugged and was about to grab a cigarette when the door opened, and two synths were in the corner of his eye. In seconds the Rifle was in his hands. Danse shouted something but MacCready didn't hear it. Anne had kellogs pistol in her hand quick and she let out a shot, knocking the face off a synth but it just kept running at her. _God that's horrifying._ MacCready fired, but where he was aiming on a person, the shoulder, was a wire frame on the synth, and missed, he grunted firing again for the exposed insides. Danse was firing with a laser rifle and something smashed into MacCreadys head, he looked to his left, he hadn't noticed that synth that was smashing the but of its gun into his head. He knocked out it's legs, and before he could shoot a bullet went through it's metal head. The one on his right suddenly seemed to dissapear, replaced by dust particles. They kept their weapons out, and Danse was quiet, leading them through a hall and into a large room where he looked around.

"We may have a problem here," Danse muttered before three synths jumped down from the upper floor. This was more difficult, and Anne took a hard blow to the head at one point, which Danse had given an armored kick to the robo head. She'd repayed the favor when a synth ran at Danse, and she'd turned to her right, digging the blade of her rifle into its knee's. The synth fell with a hard thud, and Anne pulled her bayonet out and slammed it back into the synth. The area was cleared quickly though. Danse made his way upstairs.

"Damn synths compromised most of the facility." he said angrily before suddenly perking up, "Remain vigilant. We've got turrets ahead." it was easy though. As soon as the whir of the turrets hit their ears, two bullets and laser beam shot into the thing, and it was on the floor. They made their way down some stairs before coming to a door.

"Engine cores ahead, should be our final stop." Danse said before proceeding through the door. Anne let out a long sigh and glanced at MacCready who gave her a weak smile.

"We've gone this far." he shrugged and she smiled, following behind Danse with MacCready beside her.


	34. Some fling to you

**AN:** Last week someone rightfully called me out on the fact I got my timeline wrong; I'm really bad with timelines in general. MacCready and Anne have known each other actually for about 2 weeks, not a week and a half; Story wise we're just gonna point out that MacCready is just as dumb as I am.  
 **ALSO WHEN IT COMES TO POSTING THERE WILL BE NO NEW CHAPTERS ON THE 9th OF APRIL AND THE 23rd of APRIL due to my school schedule.** There may be a break for a while after the 23rd so I can do some catch up on writing on the story since I haven't had time to write anything. I will let you guys know when I get a better idea of where we are after the posting.

 **ALSO SEXUAL CONTENT AHEAD * WILL MARK WHERE IT BEGINS AND ENDS**

* * *

It was a long hallway in front of them, Paladin Danse stomping his way ahead of them, "Watch your footing, Looks like the powers out in this section."

 _That's rich coming from a bulking metal man._ MacCready glanced at Anne who had a smirk on her face like she was thinking the same thing. Their eyes met for a brief moment and a silent exchange passed between them in recognition.

The trio entered a large room, the three of them looked around in awe, "Look at this place, Scribes would have a field day in here." he said and started walking away from them, not seeming to notice the woman staring in awe at the large thing before her.

"That's a rocket," Anne said softly and MacCready looked at her. Anne's eyes were wide, staring at the relic of a time she could remember like yesterday. She seemed to notice him staring then and shook her head as if explaining it was too confusing. She followed Danse and MacCready let out a soft sigh. He liked when that expression crossed her face; amazement.

"The transmitter should be in the control room at the top of the core but it looks like the elevators are dead. We'll have to keep heading down for now and find a way to get the facilities power back online," they made their way down the stairs slowly, "There has to be a power backup system somewhere. Scout the maintenance room are off the main chamber." he commanded like they were already soldiers that annoyed MacCready. He saw Anne grit her teeth but say nothing showing she was just as annoyed as he was, maybe more-so. They made their way into the hallway connecting to the maintenance room. Anne stopped for a bit and was rifling through her pack, Danse making his way ahead not paying attention to the two.

"I forgot why I preferred it just being us," she muttered under her breath and MacCready chuckled, glancing up at the metal man.

"Yeah, that's the only reason," he said, elbowing her lightly. A red crept on her face and gave him a coy smile. The two walked into a hallway, Danse still in the main room looking around, leaving the two of them alone. MacCready hadn't realized over the past few hours something he felt was growing between them, something thick he couldn't quite explain.

They made their way into a small room, he instantly started peaking around while Anne made her way to a terminal and started pressing buttons. MacCready wasn't paying attention when he heard the gunfire. He ran back to the maintenance room and stared out the window at the large room Danse was in, at least 10 synths jump down and were now firing on him.

"Oh shit," Anne said looking around before slamming her hand into a button that said Engine start, and then her eyes went wide and she looked at MacCready.

"Command accepted. Commencing five-second count down." The doors behind Danse shut. There was no way out. Anne had a panicked look on her face and MacCready felt himself start to panic.

"Oh my god," Anne said softly watching as the sparks started to fly to light the booster. That's when it seemed to hit MacCready; that thing was like a giant flamethrower, it was gonna blast everything with fire.

"He's going to die out there," MacCready said looking down at Anne. Danse didn't seem to have noticed, just keeping his eyes on the synths. They slammed their hands into the glass trying to get his attention, shouting to try and get him to hear them.

It didn't work, and the engine lit, sending a wave of fire over the synths, and Danse. They watched in horror as the man collapsed on the ground to his knee's letting out a yell. The fire subsided and the doors opened. Anne ran out to the room instantly, with MacCready close behind her.

"Oh my god, are you okay?!" She shouted in shock running up to Danse, who was somehow still alive and not burned. She reached out to help him up but her hands got near the metal and instantly retracted; MacCready could see how hot it was from here.

"I was cooked by those flames...but thanks to my power armour I'm still in one piece," he pulled himself up, "The important thing is we are still alive and we have a wat to get to the transmitter." The man looked, and sounded, no worse for wear then he had five minutes ago.

 _Holy shit._

The three of them continued on until they found the elevator, and somehow all three got in. Cramped by the power around Anne and MacCready were squished together. He could feel her body against his and he tried to look away, at anything to keep his mind off it. _Don't think about the mirror, don't think about the mirror._

The image from the mirror came to his mind, of her soft looking skin which was now far too close too him.

 _Damn it._

The ride was short, but it felt forever, and he could see the pink making its way up Anne's neck more easily with her shorter hair. Once they reached the top floor the three of them fell out, MacCready trying to get some distance between him and Anne, trying to push the image out of his mind, but from behind her his mind still managed to get distracted, and whatever that thick thing was he had felt between them earlier, it was basically drowning him now. They made their way up the stairs before Danse held an arm out.

"I think we've got company." He pointed through the window, where a synth could be clearly seen. Anne nodded and the three quietly made their way towards the synth; well as quietly as they could with a giant in metal whose, every step echoed.

They made their way into the room, and MacCready shot a few times before the synths noticed, now four of them left. Anne and MacCready got into their usual position with ease now. After last time and seeing Anne get hit he felt more defensive, this time shooting faster than he normally would. He missed more too, but Anne with her revolver was making up for what he missed. Soon the room was clear and Danse started stomping around.

"Damn it, I don't see the transmitter anywhere. Fan out and check the synth remains, they may have been after the transmitter as well." Anne nodded, her teeth gritted in annoyance again, but she said nothing. MacCready and her started searching together, Danse was doing a sweep of the area, looking for any more synths.

"Agh. Smells pretty bad in here. Hope the chemicals aren't toxic." he muttered and Anne glanced up at him and opened her mouth to say something before closing it quickly. She started making her way back around the room looking through piles of metal and dust, and MacCready was rifling through drawers looking for anything. Finally, she found it, Danse saw it in her hands and what was almost a smile came to his face. Almost.

"Let's get out of here, we'll take the service elevator to the surface," he said making his way to the elevator on the side of the room

 _Not another elevator._

They clamoured into the elevator, this time Anne pressed behind Danse, and MacCready in front.

 _Oh, this is better._

They made their way to the surface and MacCready ran out first, trying to just get out of the stuffy elevator and away from the walking tin-can. He waited for Anne, who followed behind Danse. She gave MacCready a tired look and they chased after DAnse who was already stomping away from the building. He could see it was evening now.

"The bunker looks clear. Let's head out." Danse said, making his way into the dying daylight, "Well, that could've gone smoother, but mission accomplished," he sighed and MacCready was tempted to yell at the man, but Anne seemed to get the words out before him.

"Smoother? I thought we did just fine?" Anne asked, holstering her revolver and crossing her arms.

 _Oh boy, here we go..._

"That sweep was sloppy. We were caught unprepared more than once, which is unacceptable," his tone was disapproving like the brotherhood MacCready recognized, "However your extra gun gave us the edge we needed." he gestured to MacCready. He opened his mouth to say something but Danse continued and MacCready gritted his teeth again, looking away.

"I'm not certain I could have accomplished the mission alone." he sounded less commanding and MacCready shot his head back towards Danse, happy he had swallowed his words.

"I thought we worked well as a team," Anne said happily, smiling, trying to get some semblance of emotion out of the man. If Danse felt emotion though, it didn't show.

"Agreed. It's a refreshing change to work with a civilian who follows orders properly," _not happily though, "_ That being said, I believe we have two important matters to discuss. First and foremost, if you'll hand me the deep range transmitter, I'd like to compensate you for your assistance during the operation." Danse pulled a gun from somewhere in his power armour, holding it out to Anne. She looked at it surprised.

"I think you'll find this weapon useful. It's my own personal modification of the standard brotherhood laser rifle. May it serve you well in battle." Anne picked up the rifle, handing the transmitter to Danses others extended hand. She looked down at the rifle curiously, as if trying to figure out how it worked. MacCready didn't care for energy weapons but Anne'es eyes lit up. She looked up at Danse.

"Don't you need to keep it?" She asked, throwing the rifle over her back, taking her hunting rifle in her hands now; did she realize her actions were contradicting her words?

"This isn't the only weapon at my disposal. Brotherhood soldiers always carry a backup," he shifted slightly, "Now as for the second matter goes, I wanted to make you a proposal. We had a lot thrown at us back there. Our op could have ended in disaster, but you kept your cool and handled it like a solider. There's no doubt in my mind you've what it takes."

 _Oh no._

"When we met at the police station, you told me you wanted to join the brotherhood of steel," _No she didn't,_ he was sure he hadn't heard that, "Is that something your still willing to do, or should we just say our goodbyes?" Danse looked down at her. He hadn't cracked a smile the whole time but there was an odd look of admiration in his eyes that MacCready was just surprised the man could make.

Anne looked back at MacCready, "Hooking up with the Brotherhood has its advantages, you might want to think about it." he said glancing up at Danse who nodded. Didn't mean he liked it though. He'd seen what they had done to the Capital, and even his friends who had been with the brotherhood before Maxson had a hard time standing by their actions sometimes...but they were the best chance at getting to the institute.

"It's a big decision, so I understand your hesitation. If you decide you want to become one of us, you know where we are," he looked between the two of them and nodded, "Good luck." Danse said with a curt nod and then walked off down the road. Anne let out a sigh of relief once he was gone and leaned against the chain link fence and ran her hands over her face.

"I don't know if we just helped a few stranded soldiers or just pulled the trigger on an invasion of the commonwealth," he said, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it. The toxic air was more refreshing than anything else he had encountered all day...well almost all day.

"From what you said I thought you liked the brotherhood," she said curiously, taking the cigarette as he handed it to her. She placed it between her lips, closing her eyes as she inhaled.

"I...It's complicated. They've done great things like I said..but now they went from being a force to help people to a military operation," he watcher her lips open and the smoke trickle out, "I had a friend who was in it for a long time. She's still in it I guess, high ranking. Helped get Maxson put in charge, she helped raise him...and then he broke out all the promises he'd made and abandoned the people." he sighed taking the cigarette from her. He'd heard of how his friend had talked Maxson down from raiding the Underworld, saying there were bigger problems to face. She had travelled with this Supermutant for a while...big guy, and he'd had too leave the Capital Wasteland, having set up a settlement quite far away with some other mutant for intelligent mutants. The place was amazing he'd heard.

"So what your telling me is that they are a very powerful military organization that is just focused on its goals and not the people it should be," MacCready nodded and Anne laughed, "Guess the war didn't destroy everything," she said and looked up at him sadly, handing him the cigarette which he quickly placed in his mouth.

The sunset reflected in her eyes, making a fire in the green of her eyes. His reflection in them burned up, only leaving the deep green pools. He just stared at them, cigarette smoke entering his lungs as he took a long breath in. The thing was back again, and he wanted too reach out and touch her, but also couldn't move.

"We can probably make it back to red rocket a little after dark if we leave now." the words came out of her and MacCready didn't really hear them. He nodded, smoke escaping his mouth. He noticed her eyes on his lips, her fingers reaching forward and taking the cigarette from his lips.

"Sounds like a plan," he said and her lips curled into a smile that made him shiver. She started making her way back to Redrocket and MacCready followed right behind her.

They walked with the sound of the radio, the sun continuing its descent. The ran into a few problems, mostly stingwings, but the rest of the walk was quiet, with them chatting about the brotherhood.

"I can't believe we blasted him with a rocket," Anne said softly and MacCready raised an eyebrow looking at her.

"We? I didn't press that button." he chuckled elbowing her slightly in the ribs. She glared at him elbowing him back.

"I didn't think it would blast him!" she said throwing her arms up, the lights of the red rocket coming into view.

"Ah home sweet home." her body noticeably relaxed and Dogmeat could see them now, barking before running at them.

"Oh boy," he muttered watching the dog race like a bullet at Anne. It got to her and started running around the two of them barking happily.

Anne laughed, chasing Dogmeat back to red rocket. MacCready watched the two of them run ahead and he smiled. _This feels natural._

He got to redrocket a few minutes after Anne, who was already pulling meat out of the fridge She glanced back at MacCready but focused back on the meat. Dogmeat was laying on the ground beside her, his tail wagging. MacCready sighed making his way to her bedroom and threw his duster off and stretching his arms over his head. Even he could feel himself relaxing as he came into the small place that was now home. He walked back to Anne, who was slicing up the last piece of meat.

"Do you want some help?" he asked placing a hand on her lower back. Anne shifted slightly, moving her body slightly closer but she picked up the meat and placed it in a pan and then placed it on the stove. She glanced up at him as the meat started to sizzle.

"Do you want to take that pot and fill it with water?" she asked, nodding her head towards a small pot that sat on the shelf above the stove. He nodded, taking it and then walking outside.

It was cold outside without his duster, and he shivered under the wind. He looked up at the stars.

 _There's the big dipper._

He thought back to Lucy, of them laying there, watching the stars. Her eyes would light up as she watched them, saying it reminded her of her dad.

He smiled to himself, at the memory. He didn't feel empty any more, Anne made him feel full. He still missed Lucy, he'd always miss Lucy. He saw that now. He'd spent too long thinking he had to wait until he didn't miss her, but that would never come. He had accepted it, and he didn't think he would have if he hadn't met Anne. He sighed happily to himself and walked over to the water pump and after a few good pumps had was returning back with a full pot of water to Anne, smiling to himself.

Anne looked up at him as he handed her the pot and smiled, "You look cheery," she said and he rolled his eyes. She placed the pot on the stove, taking some corn she had and placing it in the water. She started moving the meat on the other burner.

"It'll be a few minutes, I'll stay here and watch the food. Do you want to grab some of the mirelurk meat in the fridge and place it out for the cats outside?" he nodded, taking the mirelurk meat from her fridge and went back out into the cold night. By the door was a large bowl, and as soon as he the can made contact with it, three cats ran over, the black one, the orange one, and the big brown one. He watched the cats eat for a moment, the black one looking up at him, it's yellow eyes glistening at him and let out a high pitched meow, demanding attention. He scratched the cats head and he purred, blinking slowly up at MacCready before going back to his food. He walked back into the kitchen, where Anne was putting two plates down at the counter beside the grey cat who was licking her paws.

"You killing that radstag was the best thing you've ever done," she said jokingly, and MacCready opened his mouth to protest but she had already started digging into the meal. He'd save that comment for alter

"I'm honestly just amazed that I hit it." he chuckled as he picked up the corn, bringing it to his mouth.

They ate quickly as if they hadn't eaten in years. They didn't have time to talk as the wolfed it down. In minutes both of them were done and leaning back against the chairs content.

"I can't remember the last time I ate that well," he mumbled and she looked at him and smiled, leaning forward on the chair and petting the grey cat on the counter.

"I'm actually not a great cook. Or I wasn't, before the war I guess. Nate did it all...before we got Codsworth." the grey cat started licking the plates and Anne was rubbing the cat affectionately, staring at it with so much adoration.

 _She may love that cat more then she loves me._

"Well after the war, I think you're a great cook." he smiled and Anne laughed, pulling herself up and stretching her arms above her head.

"I think I'm going to hit the hay, you coming?" She asked, her eyes finding him, a weird look behind them. He stared at her for a moment, feeling that tense thing between them appearing again, and he felt like breathing was...difficult.

"Yeah, I'll come with you," he said standing up. He walked over to the door locked it, and then shut the lights off. He followed her and Anne was sitting on the bed, pulling her coat off. MacCready kicked his shoes off, took his cap off, and then pulled his green jacket off. She pulled her shorts off and laid down on the bed and looked up at him. He looked down at her and felt his ears start to get hot. They'd slept together before but she had never taken off...that much.

"You laying down?" She asked, pulling the blanket over her legs and breathing became easier.

"Yeah, yeah." he sat beside her and started laying down when she placed her hand on his back, stopping his movement.

"Thought you didn't sleep with a shirt?" She asked and he felt his ears get hot; She had noticed.

"It's...it's okay," he said but felt her hands go to the hem of his shirt and started tugging on it. He felt his body tense up as she did it.

"I don't have pants on, it's not fair you get a shirt," she said and he sighed pulling his shirt off himself and throwing it on the ground. Her bed was small, the two had very little space between them, his knee's bumping into hers. He could feel the movement of her shifting, and her hand resting on his chest.

"Robert?" he heard her say and he looked at her. Her face was close to his, he could feel her breath on his lips. It took a moment, but that was all it took.

His lips met hers and he felt the softness of them. She kissed him back, her hands both slithering up to his chest and resting against it.

His one arm moved to her waist, the other to her head, his fingers digging into the hair. HE realized that laying sideways wasn't ideal, and he moved so he was on top of her. His one arm moved to her waist, and his other one, the arm he was leaning on, the hand found its way back to her hair, digging in. She let out a small groan against his lips, deepening the kiss.

His hand moved down finding the bottom of her shirt and making its way up the smooth skin. She shuddered against him, her hands digging into his bare back.

He could feel her leg making its way between his own and his hand was now just below her breasts.

 _What...what do I do?_

He didn't think, his hand made up its mind for him. She let out a gasp and he smiled to himself, moving his lips down her jaw, pulling her head back so he could get more access.

She sat up, now, and he pulled away looking at her. They looked at each other, seeing that hunger he had seen before. He pressed himself to her again but her hand came up quickly, placing itself between their lips.

"We...we should stop." She breathed. He could feel her chest against his, moving as she breathed.

"Did...did I go to fast?" he asked against her lips and she shook her head. MacCready pulled himself back, looking at her. She was looking down at her lap.

"No...no it's not that," she whispered, her fingers clutching the blanket, "I just...some things about me I need to see a doctor about...I don't want to get pregnant again." she said looking up at him.

 _Oh. Oh yeah._

"Ah...yeah that's true...but what would a doctor do?" he asked leaning back on his feet. The only way he knew to prevent pregnancy was just...be extra careful with sex.

"It's not what you think...since I've been unfrozen…" she sighed angrily placing her hands on her face, "I haven't had my period. It should've happened. I'm worried...that maybe something is wrong." she shifted uncomfortably, clearly not wanting to talk about this.

 _Ohhhhh._

He took her hands in his and she looked up at him, her face was a bright red. She was embarrassed about this, and he couldn't understand why.

"It's not a problem Anne. Really. We'll go at your pace okay." he said trying to reassure her but she shook her head.

"I'm sorry, I know its weird," her words came out softly and she looked up at him, "I mean...if I can't get pregnant again that...is handy I guess but...I don't know. I don't want to hold you back if you want more kids." she sounded sad, and in the dark, he glanced over at her and then back up at the ceiling. He wasn't sure what to say.

He laid beside her for a while, a silence over them as he tried to think of what to say. Finally, he managed to think of something.

"You know...I don't care," he said into the darkness, not sure if what he was saying was the right thing.

"What?" he heard the darkness reply, and Anne shifting slightly beside him.

"If...if you can't have children. I don't care," he looked over at her, "I mean...we both already have kids...so...I don't know. If that's what you're worried about., don't be." he said he felt her eyes on him and he looked over, a small smile on her face. She kissed him lightly.

"Thank's...really. It's nice to know this isn't just...some fling for you," she said her arms wrapping around him and her nose nuzzling into his neck. He ran his hand overhead, through her hair.

"I'm too old for that," he grumbled and she laughed against him.

"You're younger than me!" she said teasing and MacCready closed his eyes.

"I'm happy I took Nicks advice," she said softly, sleep in her voice.

"I am too." he said, his face burying in her hair, the smell of flowers enveloping him into sleep.


	35. Everyone deserves a second chance

**AN:** Sorry for posting late guys, had some computer troubles. Anyways it's been a hell of a week.  
Warning again * Means sexual content ahead, if you are not comfortable with that avoid until the next *

* * *

MacCready woke up slowly, feeling the weight of Anne's head on his chest. The thoughts of last night slowly emerged into his mind. _Oh yeah._ Even though it had ended maybe in not the best way, he was still happy with himself. He opened his eyes, looking down. Anne's eyes were half closed, but he could see her looking at him.

"Ready to face the day?" he asked, his hand coming up to her hair, running through her hair.

"No." she grumbled, her face nuzzling into his neck again. He smiled looking down at her, tucking some of her hair behind her hair. _Her hair is so soft._

He felt her kiss his neck softly and he let out a long sigh closing his eyes again.

"You know, there's plenty of other things we can still do." she murmured against his neck, slowly moving down to his collar bone. _What's she doing._

He kept his hands in her hair, feeling as she moved her way down slowly. She was teasing him, she was now at her chest, her hands finding him. He groaned feeling his hands dig into her hair without his will. He heard her giggle and opened his eyes too look down at her. Her eyes were on him, and she removed her lips for a moment, a smile on her face that could make a deathclaw blush. Her lips met his chest again, her teeth pulling on the flesh slightly. He grunted, trying to think of what to do.

"You know...I didn't think you were this desperate...had I known early I maybe would have helped me make up my mind." he said, and Anne giggled in response. She was at his navel now, and he felt like he was about to lose his mind. It'd been a long time since he was in this position, and he really hadn't expected it from the girl who had walked into the third rail.

He was still trying to get his mind to focus when the building started to shake, Dogmeat was barking outside. Anne shot up quickly like she had done this a million was up in seconds, her rifle in her hands as she ran out.

"What's going on?!" he asked pulling himself up, chasing after her and grabbing his own rifle.

"Raiders! That's the turrets Sturges put up!" She shouted from the other room, he heard her rifle fire as he made his way to her. He slid beside, underneath the window.

He looked over the wall, through the blown-out window. There, were at least 5 raiders running at them, and 2 burning piles of metal on the treeline. _Turrets._

"What's the shaking?" he called over, as he looked above the wall and fired at one of the raiders, hitting her in the arm. The woman yelled out some curses but kept coming at him.

"I've got a turret on the roof. Didn't you notice it the other night?" she shouted over, shooting again. He could hear one of the raiders yelling to get the dog off them. _Good boy._

"Was a bit distracted by you!" he shouted shooting again, hitting the man who dogmeat held in his grip.

Silence befell them, as they fired at the remaining four raiders. Quickly they fell, and that was he MacCready noticed a raider laying on the ground screaming, holding his leg. _She's aiming for the knee's._

He kept firing, and soon the final raider was running, abandoning their friends on the ground. Anne sighed, standing up, and making her way outside.

"What are you doing?" he asked, watching her walk outside and grab something from inside the dog house. She stepped out into the open, raising what looked like a red pistol up and firing. Bright red smoke filled the sky where Ane had fired.

"The Minutemen will come to get these guys, tend to their wounds. Then we can bet a better idea on where they may be holed up." she was now making her way back to him, and he now noticed that her hand was bleeding, looked like a bullet had grazed.

"They tried to kill us, and more importantly, you are hurt." He couldn't hide the concern in his voice, the fact she was worried about them more then herself annoyed him a bit.

"My hand will be fine, I'll just stimpak it." She made her way to her room holding her hand. MacCready glanced out the window and saw people in the distance running towards where people laying on the ground, rifles in their hands. He turned his attention back to Anne, walking into her room. Anne was sitting on the bed, holding a stimpak in her uninjured hand.

"Can you help me with this?" she asked looking up at him. He walked over taking the stimpak and sitting beside her, taking the stimpak and looking at the wound. Not a horrible wound, but didn't look comfortable.

"I think it's a waste of time," he whispered under his breath. He injected the stimpak close to the wound, and he heard her let out a hiss as the needle entered.

"Everybody deserves a second chance, you should know.." she groaned and he pulled the used stimpak out of her hand. He glanced up at her, and she was looking down at her hand.

"Okay...okay point taken," he leaned back on the bed and covered his face with his hands, "Damn raiders...coming in at the worst times," he said, peaking out at her. She had a coy smile on her face.

"There's no rush." she looked at him smiling, and his world lit up. She stood up and stood before him, wrapping her arms around his neck. He sat up, placing his hands on her waist.

"While we still have time," he said looking up at her, and she smiled leaning down and kissing his forehead. He would've pulled her closer, but she took a step back.

She grabbed her shorts from the ground and tossed his shirt at him, "I say we start making our way to Goodneighbor, stop at the Starlight and let them know what was going on, and then get to Goodneighbor, see if your antidote arrived yet, do a few things, spend the night there, head out in the morning for the castle." she had her shorts on now, and was grabbing her socks.

 _I almost forgot about that._ MacCready stood up, pulling his shirt on and grabbing his cap. He felt slighty guilty that he hadn't thought of Duncan...all of this with Anne had instead taken up most of his attention.

"Let's head out then boss," he said grabbing his coats and throwing them on.

"Quit that!"

They walked for two hours to Starlight, running into some raiders inConcordd which they had dealt with easily. They got too Starlight and Anne walked into the store. He walked around the small town waiting while she sold the junk that she had collected. A new house was in the middle of construction, the town was continuing its expansion. People looked at him curiously, but said nothing, carrying food, wood, and one held a toddler.

 _Duncan._

"Ready to go?" came from behind him and he turned, looking at Anne.

"Yeah let's go," he said and she smiled at him. He smiled back, knocking the sad thoughts out of his head and following her out of the town. He'd find out soon if Duncan had gotten the medicine, which made him walk faster then he normally would.

They walked east for about an hour before stumbling on a small community, with walls and turrets. He hadn't seen a place like this in a while, meant thsee people were well stocked. Some man was sitting outside, not paying attention. Anne glanced at MacCready, and he shrugged. They walked up to the man, and Anne cleared her throat. He looked up startled.

"Your visiting covenant pal? If no, move along. You know, armed people loitering around. Not good for the nerves." the man said crossing his arms and looking at her with disdain. He sounded annoyed like even just their presence was a nuisance.

"Is that was this place is called?" Anne asked, leaning on her left leg and looking at him with skepticism. He could hear the annoyance in her voice.

"Yeah, we're a real up and comer. A pit stop on the road for traders and such. W're not that big but we got the bargains. Got a doc that can patch you up. We even got some lemonade. Well, that's what Deezer calls it anyway. Theres a small catch though." Anne glanced at MacCready, the same thought going through their heads.

 _A doctor?_

"We don't just let anyone inside. There's an entrance test. We call it the Safe test. Everyone's got to take it." Anne looked back at the man, raising an eyebrow. This sounded like a complete waste of time.

"Interesting idea. Between you and me, what's the test for?" she put her voice on, her silver tongue voice. He had started recognizing it now. _What she used to get me down to 200 caps._

The man looked around, "I probably shouldn't say anything. But listen, we want to make sure only good people come into Covenant." No undesireables. Nobody that ain't exactly what they seem, you know?" MacCready let out a long breath through his teeth.

 _Synths._

Anne kept playing though, "I'm new to the area. What do you mean by undesirables?" she wanted to hear it from him. He looked startled.

"You don't know about…? Jesus. Listen, not everyone in the commonwealth is human okay? Some are synths," he shook his head, "I'm not going to say anything more than that. Just take the test. You pass and you can come inside where everythings safe, alright?" he said as if trying to get them to forget what they had just heard; but they had, and there was no getting rid of it now.

"Do I really have to take the test?" Anne asked, sounding a bit annoyed. The man shrugged.

"Hey, rules are rules. You ready?" the guy leaned forward. Anne glanced at MacCready who shook his head. As if he had an answer for this.

"Up to you boss." she scrunched up her face in that cute way she did.

"Sure." she said turning back to the man. MacCready pulled out a cigarette and lit it, the man's eyes coming up to him for a second and then resting back on Anne.

"Good. Take a seat, and we can begin." he gestured to the seat infront of the desk. Anne sighed plopping herself down, MacCready stood behind her, leaning against the cinder blocks, smoking. He didn't offer her it this time.

"So let's begin. There ain't no wrong answers." Anne made a face at that, like she had smelled something gross. _What?_

"You are approached by a frenzied scientist, who yells 'I'm going to put my quantum harmonizer in yout photonic resonation chamber.' Whats your respnse?" Anne leaned back thinking.

"I wouldn't worry, if he did that he'd cause a parabolic destabalization of the fission singularity." he coughed looking down at her, she had a smile on her face. She mentioned being smart in school a few times, but that was not something he had expected from her. Was that even correct?

The man looked just as shocked before looking down at his sheet and back up at her, "Uh..yeah. Next question," he shifted in his seat, "While working as an intern in the clinic, a patient with a strange infection on his foot stumbles through the infection is spreading at an alarming rate, but the doctor has stepped out. What do you do?"

Anne shrugged, "Medicate the infected area as best I can."

"So you have a medical background. You discover a young boy lost in a cave. He's hungry and friegtened, but also appears to be in possesion of stolen property. What do you do?" MacCready could almost answer for her on this one and he chuckled to himself.

"I give the boy a hug, and tell him everything will be okay." she sounded sure of herself, like there was no other option.

"Very curious...Congratulations. You made it onto a baseball team. Which position do you prefer?" he looked at Anne with more intensity and MacCready furrowed his brow. _What? Over a baseball question?_

"Catcher." Anne said and the mans eyes narrowed. _What? What's wrong with being a catcher?_

"Are you certain about that? Nevermind, next question. Your grandmother invites you to tea but you're surprised when she gives you a pistol and orders you to kill someone. What do you do?" he had relaxed again. MacCready felt uncomfortable about how the man had looked at her during the last question.

Anne crossed her arms, "I'd throw my tea in her face." Anne sounded annoyed, like she was sick of the questions. MacCready was enjoying the answers though.

"Of course. Old Mr. Abernathy has locked himself in his quarters again, and you've been ordered to get him out. How do you proceed." MacCready smiled. He could answer this one too. _How many more questions are there?_

"I'd grab a bobby pin and pick the lock." Anne let out a long sigh. The man looked startled

"And that's all you'd do? Nothing else," Anne opened her mouth, "Wait, don't answer. Next." Anne closed her mouth again, he could see her jaw tense. _Oh, she's getting mad._

"Oh no, you've been exposed to radiation, and a mutated hand has grown our of your stomach. What's the best course of action." MacCready put the cigarette out, placing his hand on Anne's upper back, making sure the guy couldn't see it. He watched her jaw unclench slightly.

"I'd dose myself with anti-mutagen agent." she sounded more relaxed, her composure seemed to soften. MacCready smiled to himself, keeping his head down.

"Ignoring possible...yes...A neighbor is in possession of a Grognak the Barbarian comic, issue number 1. You want it. What's the best way to obtain it." MacCready had that one at home. Grognak was banished from his tribe, and was searching for a way to prove to them they had made a mistake. _There was something else what was it?_

"I'd trade him for one of the comic books I own." Anne said, MacCready's thumb now making a circle on her back. _Femme-Ra was thought to be dead, yeah that was it._

"Hmmm, you're almost done. Last question," Anne perked up, sitting up straighter, MacCready pulled his hand back, "You decide it would be fun to play a prank on your father. You enter his private restroom when no one is looking and?" he didn't look as invested, leaning back and not really paying attention.

"I'd put a firecracker in his toilet. That never gets old." she said stretching her arms above her head, he could hear how much her voice had relaxed with just that simple gesture.

"Tests over. No one's ever answered quite like you. But hey, you passed. I'll open up the gate." _Finally._ Anne stood up, looking at MacCready and rolling her eyes at the man. They walked over to the door, watching him open it with a key and then looked at them, as the doors swung open on the heavily guarded town.


	36. Princess

**AN:** Hi guys, I wanted to make a personal note today. I apologize for posting late. In this story I've mentioned a few times the big fluffy brown cat that lives with Anne. Her names Princess. She was 17, and my family cat. She died today. She lived a long life, but its been a hard day for me and I apologize if there are more grammar or spelling errors. I wanted to make sure I posted today, but it's been a hard day. I apologize guys for getting personal, I just wanted to share. Also reminder, no chapter next week.

Be kind to each other everyone. Love what you have well you have it, and stay safe.

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Four buildings, all restored houses, and small farm on the right. The place felt weird, everything looked as if the bombs had never dropped. It was almost as if it had been preserved. He glanced at Anne who was looking around, a odd look on her face.

"This isn't Diamond city. A caravan of five come through, you'd remember." came a gruff voice, and the two of them looked over quickly at the source. A tall man in leather armour and long hair was speaking to someone, and he looked frustrated. Anne started walking over.

 _Oh it couldn't be easy._

They stood behind the man, watching the conversation take place. MacCready only half listening and he leaned against the building. The man turned and he almost bumped into Anne. He took a step back looking her up and down, surprised to see her.

"You from around here? God, I hope not. I've had enough of these hicks." the man was clearly annoyed, looking at Anne and crossing his arms. Anne shook her head, standing straighter while looking at the man. He could see a smile on her face.

"You have a problem with the people here?" she asked, looking at him curiously.

"All the fake smiles and fancy talking puts me on edge. The sooner I'm out of here the better." MacCready looked around, seeing people walking around, looking at Anne and him with odd looks. He had to agree with this guy; places that focused on making themselves perfect meant they were hiding something.

"You know anything about Stockton's caravan?" MacCready's head turned quickly, looking at the man. He'd heard of the Stockton, not much, but enough to know he wasn't someone to mess with.

"A caravan? I'm not really the trader type." Anne asked leaning back on her heels, crossing her own arms while speaking to him.

"Well, this isn't about trade. I signed on with Old Stockton to find his lost caravan. What's left of it is just outside of town. Their last stop was here so I've trying to put together the story, but I keep getting the runaround," he glanced at MacCready and then back at Anne, scratching his bearded chin, "Got a proposal for you. Help me find Stockton's people and we split the reward. At least one survivor walked out of that massacre, and I intend to make good on my contract." Anne's eyes darted to MacCready, they looked at each other for a moment before Anne sighed.

"If I help you, I want something up front." that voice had come out again; her persuasive voice. She slipped into it easily.

"If I have your word you'll help, I'll chip in 50 caps now, That's above and beyond the deal." he was stern, his arms crossed again. There was no getting more.

"Who are we looking for?"Anne asked, pushing some strands of her hair out of her face. He liked watching her do that, her fingers worked delicately.

"The big one is Stockton's daughter, Ameilia. I didn't find any bodies of the feminine persuasion, so there's hope. If we find her, Stockton's offering a heap of caps" Anne nodded before raising her arms and shrugging.

"Sounds fair, I'm in," she said and the man smiled slightly at her.

"Here's all I got on the caravan," he handed her something, "I don't got prove but covenants involved. Somehow. I'll keep poking around. But let me know if you find anything." he was walked past her and Anen glanced at MacCready. He walked up beside her.

"Thought we were heading to Goodneighbor?" he asked and she looked at him.

"This doesn't seem like it will take long, and we can make some easy caps," she shrugged and grabbed his arm and gave it a squeeze, "If you want we can go. I can let that guy know." MacCready shook his head.

"It's not a problem, was just wondering is all," he walked up to a robot that looked like it was missing most of it, "Another robot drink vendor? Hope this one doesn't just sell noodles," he approached the robot waving slightly, "Hey there, what's on the menu?"

The robot turned, its eyes locking on him, "Why deezers lemonade of course! It's the most thirst-quenching drink in the commonwealth." MacCready looked at Anne who looked just as confused as he did.

"And?" he asked, _can't just sell lemonade, can it?_

"And...I certainly hope you'll have a glass! It's amazingly refreshing sir!" the robot was peppy, bobbing up and down. This felt like a cruel joke, he'd been hoping for maybe some food. He sighed.

"Doesn't anyone program normal robot bartenders anymore?" he walked away from the robot, going behind Anne, who the robot now focused on.

"Would you like some lemonade?" it peered down at Anne.

"I'm looking into a lost caravan. Can you help?" Anne asked. MacCready could already tell the robot would be no help, but he had to admire her for trying.

"You know what would be great for a lost caravan? Deezers lemonade! Voted best beverage in Covenant, three years straight!" Anne glanced at him and let out a long sigh.

"What's in the lemonade?" Anne asked, looking around for this lemonade he was offering. There was nothing.

"Deezers lemonade is made of goodness! Four special ingredients from sunny, non-irritated environments all in one cold glass! Try it, and enjoy. Or take advantage of the money back guarantee!" MacCready glanced at Anne who was smiling to herself.

"What's the catch?"Anne asked, now just playing with the robot.

"No tricks, no gimmicks, just the best lemonade in Covenant, free to our special guests!" Nowitss eyes fixed on MacCready. He froze, not sure what to do.

"I'll take some," Anne said shrugging and the robot reached into itself and pulled out a glass of yellow liquid. Anne looked at it and took a sip and then looked at MacCready.

"Yeah, it's lemonade," she said drinking the rest of it.

"Enjoy!" the robot said before taking its attention off them.

Anne was looking around the town, occasionally mumbling stuff to herself, MacCready followed, noticing more people in the town looking at them. _Oh god._

She turned to him, "Should I...should I try speaking to the doctor here?" she asked quietly, rubbing the back of her neck nervously. MacCready blinked.

"I mean...if you want to, you can. It's really your choice...I mean...I don't know," he felt his ears turn red, "if you want to, I will support you, if you don't, I will support you." he smiled at her and she sighed.

"Alright, I'm going to head in there," she pointed over her shoulder, "I want to do it alone...it's just kind of private stuff, so if you want to wait out here...I'd...I'd really appreciate it." she smiled up at him and he took her hand in his and gave it a squeeze before letting go.

"I'll be here, don't worry," he said and she smiled at him making her way inside the building. MacCready sat outside on a crate beside a radio and pulled out a cigarette, lighting it and sitting there. He sighed closing his eyes and trying to keep his mind off of what could be happening in there.

She came out what seemed minutes later shaking her head.

"What happened?" he asked and she let out an agitated sigh.

"That doctor is crazy. No way I wanted her...examining me, also that's a store, not a doctors office. Also, there's something really fishy going on," she leaned in closer and he looked up at her, "There's something called the compound, and I was told not to think anything of it." she leaned back and MacCready shrugged, handing her the cigarette. She took a long drag.

"Could be anything, every town in the wastes has it's secrets. Trust me." MacCready said, glancing at one of the people who he had noticed was watching them. Anne shook her head.

"I think I'm going to speak with the mayor. See what I can find out," she said putting the cigarette out by tossing it on the ground and stepping on it.

"This feels like a waste of time." He grumbled under his breath, but clearly loud enough that she could still hear him, as she turned quickly and looked at him.

"Robert there's something going on here. We can't just...ignore it. Someone's daughter is at risk...what if it was Shaun or Duncan?" MacCready groaned, he'd forgotten how good women were at convincing him to do things he didn't want to do.

"Fine fine, you lead. I'll follow," he said and she smirked. She turned her body away from him, her short auburn hair spinning with her, as she walked towards an older man in a very clean suit. He noticed them coming and smiled at her. _God that's creepy._

"Well hello, stranger," MacCready moved so he was more visible behind her, but the mans looked at McCready for a second before turning his attention back to Anne, "The names Jacob and I run this town. Glad you passed the test, our doors always open for good quality people. You can use one of the beds in the guest house, and you should visit Penny's store." Anne looked at him and smiled, but MacCready noticed her jaw was tense; She was clearly as uncomfortable with this man as he was.

"Anything else in town?" Anne asked, her voice sounding different than when she was talking to most other people, using her silver tongue.

"Doc Patricia will be more than happy to patch you up. For a modest fee of course. You might want to stay clear of Mr. Dan. I've had some complaints about him." Anne nodded, before rubbing her chin.

"Can I ask you some questions?" she said her voice was thick now. MacCready felt uncomfortable hearing her talk in that voice, but he had to admire it.

"Ask away." he smiled, MacCready hated every part of this conversation.

"Does Covenant have a problem with synths?" Anne asked and the man's face fell, suddenly becoming like a stone.

"Shouldn't everyone have a problem with synths? But there's none of those...things here. Rest assured." he was much stiffer, and MacCready could see him avoiding the question. Anne had clearly hit the nail on the head.

"You ever hear of a compound?" Anne asked, her voice now losing some of that sweetness; Anne was done playing games. Jacob shook his head.

"Why that sounds interesting stranger. But I can't say I've ever heard of a...compound was it?" Anne jaw tensed, but she smiled at him. MacCready wondered how much longer until she punched him.

"I have to go," she said and Jacob smiled at her.

"You have a good day." the way he said it sounded like a threat. They walked over to where the farm was and Anne looked at Mac, he could see her anger.

"He's full of shit," she whispered angrily, glancing at the people around. MacCready didn't have to look, he knew they were staring at them.

"Yeah. But what are you going to do?" he said noticing Jacob speaking to someone, the two of them looking MacCready and Anne.

"That big building, at the end there," she nodded behind him and he looked over his shoulder at the blue building that was larger than the others, "I think the answers in there. I can try and break in there if you're willing to watch out for me. Please. We're so close." she looked around, begging him. He groaned looking at her.

"Are you sure about this. Really Anne? If we make enemies in this town, we may not make it out of here." He gestured to the turrets. Anne took his hand in hers.

"Trust me," she said looking into her eyes, the light of the day shining in her bright eyes. He felt himself melt.

 _God damn it._

"Fine, fine. Just be careful." He said and she smiled up at him. She walked slowly up to the building like she was conscious of when people looked at her. MacCready followed behind a short way, watching the people around them. He leaned against the fence, hearing Deezer shout about the lemonade. He glanced over his shoulder, seeing the door shut. _She's in._

It was a few minutes, he knew that, but it felt much longer than that. No one noticed, but he felt much better when she walked past him

"I got it," she whispered and he fell in beside her.

"So, what is it?" he asked and she shook her head.

"I'm not sure. We'll talk to Dan. I know where to go." she said and MacCready nodded, as they made their way to the long-haired man who was standing to the side of the building by Deezer. He was smoking when he looked up at them.

"Find out anything about the caravan?" He asked Anne looked around before moving closer to the man.

"They took the survivors to a compound." The man's eyes lit up and he threw the cigarette down.

"Then we're in business. I'll meet you there and we'll rescue ourselves some caravan hands." He said and Anne nodded. She quickly explained to look for some fisherman, pointing at the pipboy on her map. MacCready was watching the man. He didn't like how his eyes were on her lips.

She pulled away and he nodded, silently making his way out of town. Anne stood beside MacCready looking up at him.

"So we head to this compound, get those people, and head to Goodneighbor. It's only about two in the afternoon, we can get there in no time," she said and MacCready nodded looking at her and taking her hand quick and gave it a squeeze.

"We got this," he said and she smiled at him, before turning and making her out of the town. They were almost at the doors when Jacob showed up in front of them.

"Heya stranger. It's no secret you've been poking around. Not very neighbourly of you, if you ask me. I know you think you're doing the right thing. Just don't make any rash decisions you'll regret" he said, the threat very present in what he said. Anne crossed her arms.

"Just come out, and say what you mean." she was annoyed, not putting on her silver tongue voice, not hiding anymore.

"Maybe you heard a rumour about Stockton's caravan and a certain compound? So hypothetically, let's say there's something to that," Anne's jaw tensed, "We wouldn't do anything unless we had good reasons. The best," as he said this he moved closer to Anne trying to intimidate them, but Anne stood straighter, "Tell you what, you just stop this investigation and I'll give you a gift. 100 caps. And then you'll be welcome back here as our friend any time." Anne shifted, he could see her bite her lip.

"Surely there's room for compromise. I get Stockton's survivors and we stay friends. I'd have to know more though." she said this and MacCready crossed his arms.

"We're not going to wheel and deal with you. Take the damn offer or we drop you." MacCready said, annoyed, and Jacob glanced at him before looking back at Anne.

"That's a tall order. A deal like that, well, that's above my pay grade. Tell you what. I'll let the compound know you're coming. Then you can make your case to them. Good luck." The man walked away and Anne looked at MacCready and smiled.

"Thanks," she said smiling softly, and he smirked, they walked out of the town, making there way for this compound Anne had discovered.


	37. Can you still justify it?

**AN:** Thanks for the patience with me for not posting last week with school, There will also be no chapter next Tuesday, because my finals schedule is confusing and dumb. Thanks to everyone who messaged me in condolences, I appreciated it more then I can put into words. You guys are great. Anyways here's the next chapter, enjoy guys :)!

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They walked to the pond, MacCready taking out his binoculars once they hit the shore. He scanned the water's edge, not noticing anything until he found the man fishing by the pipe. He pointed the man out too Anne and they made their way around the water and walked up to the fisherman. Once they got closer Anne pointed at the pipe.

"I bet that's our entrance," she said and jumped into the water and started making her way to it. MacCready sighed, jumping in behind her. He hated getting wet. The water was murky, and he came to the surface quickly, blinking to try and clear his eyes. Once he could focus again he saw Anne swim quickly to the middle pipe. He followed her and soon they were standing in the pipe. He shook himself like a dog trying to get the water off.

"God that's disgusting." he groaned and he looked up at Anne.

Her white shirt was almost see through now, and while her coat covered most of her he could still see her body as the shirt clung to her. She felt his ears turn red and he looked around, Anne was squeezing her shirt now. He tried to think of anything to get the image out of his mind, but nothing came to his mind.

"You ready?" She asked and MacCready looked back, she was still wet, but now her clothes didn't cling to her. This he could deal with.

"Yeah," he said and she smiled at him taking a step towards him, creating very little space between them. The image came back to his mind, and he felt his ears burn up again

"You know, you are going to see me naked eventually right?" she said smirking up at him. MacCready's eyes went wide and he tried to think of something too say.

 _What am I supposed to say to that?!_

"Maybe I already have," he said without thinking and then he cleared his throat, "We should head in, yeah." he started walking hearing her behind him wading through the water. He shouldn't have said anything, why had he just blurted it out?

"You better tell me what you are talking about!" she shouted and he tried to think of something to get her to drop it. In front of them was a door which he quickly opened and made his way through.

They stood in the tunnel, and the end, on dry land, was the man Anne had been talking too, Dan. He looked at the two of them, "Some people up ahead, I'll follow your lead." the long hair man said and Anne nodded, slipping her way past the two men. MacCready found himself walking beside this large man, feeling uncomfortable. The man was so much larger then he was, he hated it.

They walked through the tunnel and stepped out into a bright light, MacCready covered his eyes and Anne stepped forward.

"Just because Jacob vouched for you doesn't mean you can enter the compound. Why should I let you in." Said a man with a thick accent behind the light. MacCready could hear guns clicking, and he could feel them pointed at them.

 _Of course._

"I'm coming in, one way or the other. At least with the easy way, you still get to breathe." Anne's voice was...odd; it was her normal voice, but MacCready had never heard her threaten someone like that. It sent a shiver up his spine, like hearing a deathclaw speak. He liked it.

"All right, Have it your way. I'll take you to Doctor Chamber. She can decide what to do with you." The man started walking and Anne looked at the two men behind her, nodding for them to follow her. MacCready didn't even think about it, following after her, but he noticed the bigger man hesitate. MacCready smirked too himself.

 _You get used to it._

"Blythe? Hey Blythe!" The man shouted as they were walking down the ramp. They stopped and Anne looked at MacCready. He felt twitchy, ready to grab his rifle at any second.

"Yes what is it Manny?" said a bored voice, but he couldn't see the person. Didn't like that, meant this place had more people in it then he could see.

"I thought you guys were done with subject 14?" The man with the thick accent said. He could see in the room, a man sat in a chair severely beaten. Anne was trying to look, standing on her toes, But MacCready placed his hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him, he shook his head. Just because she could handle what was behind that door, didn't mean she could.

"Torture? They're sick. Just give me the signal." Dan said from beside him, whispering the words so only they could hear. Anne shook her head.

"Oh yes, the interviews over," _some interview,_ "I'm just reviewing the data on question four. Fascinating really." The man with the thick accent started tapping his toe, getting impatient.

"Yeah, I'm sure," he said walking away from the door, glaring at the three of them and then making his way back down the ramp. The group followed.

This place was crawling with guards, all of them eyeing them up. He could see Anne's jaw tensing as they walked, she was thinking the same thing he was; too many people.

They got to a gap in the path and stopped, "Hey, extend the platform. Orden sent her." the man said, pointing over his shoulder at Anne. The platform extended and soon they crossed, making their way through the rest of this compound. The path twisted and turned until they came to a large room where a woman stood in a white lab coat and large goggles on her head. Anne approached but the woman spoke sharply.

"So the one investigating Stockton's caravan has arrived. Do you even know his supposed daughter is in all likelihood a synth? No matter, Let me be upfront about this. There are two ways this meeting can end. We come to an agreement or there's violence." MacCready didn't like that second option, he'd seen all those guards. He glanced at Anne, he already could almost already tell what she would choose.

"There are no other options?" Anne asked once the woman finally stopped. The doctor's lips pulled in tight like she had smelt something bad.

"Too much is at stake to allow you to simply leave. Let me pose a question to you. What would you do if your family was destroyed by a synth, right in front of you, when you were but a child? Would you roll over and accept it? Or would you do something about it." she said her voice was annoying, like those people from Tenpenny Tower; as if she knew better and more then you do. Anne shook her head.

"I've been there, but I haven't resorted to torturing innocents." Her voice was hostile and the woman before them shook her head.

"Casualties are inevitable, it may not look like it but we're at war. As long as the institute walks invisibly among us they strike without warning and control us from the shadows. I've dedicated my life to devising a test to detect these hidden synths. To root them out so they can be extinguished. Isn't that a goal worth fighting for?" The woman said looking down at the three of them. She sounded so self-righteous, he felt like his whole body would do an eye-roll if she didn't shut up.

"Who really knows what the institute is responsible for," Anne said, which surprised MacCready. He figured she'd hate them with a passion, but she seemed unsure.

"And how do they manage to keep us in the dark? A living synth is indistinguishable from a human by any medical test yet devised. But it turns out psychology can detect the difference. Enter the SAFE test. The test is in its infancy, but through sacrifice and perseverance our success rate is improving." The woman sounded full of herself, and MacCready doubted all of her claims. He saw the man tied up, and he could see the young woman in the cage; how many had died for a few accurate results?

"It sounds like your test may not even work," Anne said, her hand going on her hip and she leaned on her right foot. She was getting impatient, he could see that.

"There is a correlation. We've measured it. We just need more data, more test subjects to narrow it down. Covenant is many things. A refuge for the broken people left in the wake of the institute's rampage. A place of safety and healing. But most importantly it is our one chance to end this age of paranoia," the woman rubbed her chin, her goggled eyes fixing on Anne, "I will make you a deal, If you let me dispose of Stockton's synth and continue our work I'll match whatever reward you were offered." he could feel Dan beside him tense up. He didn't feel like reassuring the man that Anne had a soft-heart and would reject this deal faster than she rejected Med-x.

"I've had my fill of crazy on this contract. No deal," Dan said, crossing his arms, looking up at Anne. Anne glanced at Dan before her eyes slid over MacCready for a quick second and then back towards the doctor.

"Fortunate for me, I wasn't talking to you." she sounded so full of herself, MacCready gritted his teeth.

"You side with this nutjob and we're going to have a serious, deadly problem." Dan practically bristled, taking a step back from them. MacCready looked up at Anne who was clearly looking for a non-violent solution, though even MacCready could see that wasn't an option.

"Don't kill the girl. Spare her." Anne said, looking at the woman again. The goggled woman's lips went tight again.

"Come on doc, think about what you're up against," MacCready said, the woman's head darted to him for a second but she shook her head.

"Impossible. The odds are too great she's an institute infiltrator. Even if she is an unfortunate victim in this war, sparing her can compromise everything." Anne shook her head sadly.

"That's a deal I won't accept," Anne said angrily, her hands quickly pulling her rifle off her back. MacCready did the same.

"Should have offered more lady, Oh well. Too late."MacCready said shaking his head. _How the hell are we getting out of here?_

"Then you'll just have to kill me." the woman spat out, reaching for a pistol on her hip.

In seconds, Anne had her rifle bayonet dug into the woman's stomach but she punched Anne in the face, causing her to stumble back. The Doctors one hand went to the hole in her stomach, trying to hold in the red liquid. MacCready didn't have time, the man who had led them here was shooting at him. He put himself behind a pillar and started returning fire, hitting him in the knee and the man screamed, falling. Anne pushed the Doctor, and she flew backwards and slammed her body into the ground. MacCready lost sight of them, but he heard it; he was accustomed now to the sound of heads exploding.

 _That's probably not healthy_

In seconds Anne was back in his sight, charging at the man shooting Mac, "Anne!" he shouted, chasing after her, but it was too late. She slammed her boot into the man's face, knocking him onto the ground. He watched as Anne slammed the bayonet of her rifle into his face. The man didn't scream, he just choked on his blood, and his hands wriggled as they tried to fight for life. She turned looking over her shoulder at MacCready. Her bright eyes had something that he hadn't seen before, something that made him think of the way she had spoken earlier; a deathclaw. He smirked at her, and she gave a feral smile back. He liked this, _a lot._

The three of them stayed low to the ground, trying to see if anyone came. He could hear some confused shouts, but then nothing. Once they were sure no one was coming they stood up and started looking around the room. Dan had run to the young woman in the cage. Anne had made her way to a terminal, opening the doors

"Oh thank goodness. I'm free!" The young woman cried, hugging the large man. He patted her head and then he started walking over to Anne.

"So Stockton gets his daughter and we get paid. Not a bad day," he said smiling at her. Anne glanced at Amelia who was crouched with her hands on her face.

"What if she's a synth?" Anne asked, concern in her voice. There was no point in wondering that now; they had made their bed.

"If even after all they've done to her they don't know if she's a synth or not, I figure she's human enough," Dan shrugged, he reached into his pocket and pulled out some caps, "Here's your cut of the reward. I'll get my half from Stockton. Been a pleasure" Dan nodded but Anne shook her head before he could walk away. Dan stopped, looking at her skeptically.

"I did more than half the work on this job. My share should reflect that." Anne said, crossing her arms. MacCready smirked too himself, she was right. Dan sighed.

"There's some truth to that, sixty-forty work?" he asked reaching into his pocket and grabbing some more caps.

Anne looked at Amelia and sighed, "Be safe Dan." she said and walked back over to MacCready, placing the caps in her pocket.

"Didn't think about how we'd get out of here huh?" MacCready asked, trying to hide his annoyance. Anne looked at him and shook her head.

"We don't know if she's a synth. If they put Shaun in front of me and said he was a synth, but couldn't prove it unless I killed him...no. I'm not willing to risk killing an innocent person." she said walking past him and looking around the room. The way she put it made him feel odd, maybe the gunners had affected him more then he thought. She was right.

The cells were full of blood and raw animal meat. MacCready looked in the cell and shivered. They'd admitted there had been people in there, and this was the condition they had left the people in like that. Anne looked at him.

"Can you still justify it?" He could hear the pointed tone in her voice. MacCready sighed, rubbing his hands over his face. He could argue with her, say she was right, but he instead didn't want to start the argument here. He followed after Anne towards the exit.

"Ready to go?" he asked and Anne nodded, pulling out her rifle. He could even see the guards slightly around the corner. They walked out, and Anne shot one in the back of the head, the body fell forwards and the other guard turned, MacCready shot him in the face, watching as the front of his face flew away. Shouting came from the left, but Anne ran past the opening, to a chained door. She ripped the chain down kicking open the door. MacCready was on her heels, seeing a guard turn a corner. He was still reloading but the guard ran towards them firing. The bullet missed him, but he saw Anne dive through the door.

"Anne!" he shouted, and she rolled on to her back. There on her right cheek was a long scar, bleeding a lot. _Fuck._

He turned his attention to the guard, shooting him in the stomach, the man fell screaming and MacCready ran through the door, slamming it behind them, Anne was on her feet now blood pouring down her face. She turned to her left, as the doctor from earlier came running down the ramp. She fired the man in the stomach quick, and as the man stumbled forward Anne slammed her bayonet into the man's neck. He gurgled on blood and Anne slammed her foot into the man's chest, pushing the dying man off her blade. MacCready and Anne started running up the ramp and he felt something burn through his left calf, he screamed twisting his body to look at the guard who was down there. He raised his rifle but saw a grenade go flying past him. Anne grabbed MacCready, wrapping her arm around him. He saw the explosion happen, and the man's arm flew off.

"If we run for it we can get to the tunnel, we can get out," she said and MacCready nodded. It was hard to focus on what she said since his leg felt like it was on fire.

"Okay, I might lag a bit though," he said and Anne nodded.

"I'll distract them-" MacCready shook his head. Those were stupid words, what she was saying was stupid.

"No," Anne glared at him.

"You're in no condition to argue, just follow me okay." she pulled the laser rifle from her waist. He was about to argue when he heard shouting from behind him. The two ran, Anne in front, she fired at the turret, and MacCready slipped behind her, making his way down the ramp and to the tunnel. The guard there he could hear firing, and he heard Anne scream, he started turning when he felt her body slam into him.

"Go!" she shouted, her voice in clear pain. They ran through the tunnel, making their way too the door. They stood in the waist-high water, and they ran into the water. It burned MacCready's leg, and he could just imagine all the bacteria making homes in his flesh, but there was no stopping it. He wrapped his arm around Anne, looking down at her, seeing that her stomach was bleeding, heavily.

"What happened?" He asked and she looked at him, her eyes started to close. _Oh no, Oh no._

He swam through the water, dragging Anne with him, keeping her head above water, trying to keep his eyes open as well.

 _Fuck, Fuck, Fuck!_

It felt like it took forever, but after a long, while they made their way to the shore, and he pulled her up trying to stay awake as he started reaching for a stimpak, though for the life of him he couldn't remember where he had put them. He heard footsteps running down to them, he looked up at the old man running over.

"Please...please help us," and everything went dark.


	38. Take on the world

**AN:** Hello Friends, how are you? Is everything good? Thanks for being patient with me everyone, finals are done now though so I've had some time to figure out what's happening with the story so here's a big update

 **There are only 3 chapters left**

Before you start worrying, That's not the end of the story. With 3 more chapters, it will reach 40 chapters in total. That's insane?! 40 chapters?! How did I get here? So, to make things less bulky I've decided I'm going to split this story into 3 parts. This has been the first part and it is ending in 3 chapters. I will then start a NEW story, which will be part 2 of this...trilogy. That will probably have about 40 chapters as well, and then the final part, which will also have around 40 chapters. I don't want to make this a fanfiction with 120 chapters, that feels crazy. (Am I crazy?) So here's what will happen. In 3 weeks, I will post the last chapter and there will be a month long break, I will then post a new chapter here linking to the next part of the story. Which will pick up where this one left off. I wanted to say thank you again to everyone who reads, your reviews, messages, even just views, have made me happier then I can put into words. Anyways I'm also going to say, if you have ANY questions about Anne, Mac, the world, writing, anything feel free to PM me, or leave it in a review, and when I post that new story I will also answer questions if I get enough. I hope you guys all are doing great, now enough of me, let's get into this. Enjoy.

* * *

MacCready felt the tree behind him, the bark digging into his back. His leg hurt, and he could feel the heat of the sun on his face. He could feel the dampness in his shoes, under his clothes, and in his ears.

Why was I in the water again? And then he remembered, and his eyes shot open.

"Anne?!" There was a small fire in front of him, where fish were on sticks, and he heard footsteps come running up to him. He turned quickly, reaching for his rifle, but not finding it.

 _Shit._

"Oh thank god you're awake." Her voice instantly relaxed him, and his eyes rested on the woman as she kneeled before him; She was paler than usual, but otherwise, the blood that had been on her shirt seemed mostly washed away. She took his hand and smiled weakly at him. How were her hands still so soft?

"What happened?" He looked down at his leg, seeing it bandaged. He remembered getting shot, though he wished he didn't.

"That fisherman said he heard us splashing. We'd lost a lot of blood so he used our stimpaks and has been watching us for the past hour," she leaned in closer, "I checked our caps, didn't take any. I gave him some anyways to say thanks." she stood up, running her hands over her legs and tucking some hair behind her ear. He was glad to see she was learning; a few weeks ago she wouldn't have even thought of checking her caps. It made him a bit sad, knowing that woman was gone.

Anne held her hand out, which MacCready greedily took in his own. She helped him up, and they stood there for a moment, hands locked together and looking at one another.

 _I could've lost you._

"You're okay? I told you not to run ahead of me," he said squeezing her hand. Anne rolled her eyes, letting out a frustrated sigh.

"I'm fine. And what other option was there? You running ahead? You'd slow us both down, and instead of me getting shot, it would have been you," she shook her head, "that was the only option." MacCready groaned.

She's right.

"What time is it?" he asked and Anne looked at her pipboy,

"About 4. We start walking now we can get to goodneighbor by dark if you're feeling good enough."

"Yeah, I'm good to go. Let's just not do any running please" he bent his knee slightly, feeling a dull pain; it was tolerable though, and he wanted to get the hell out of here.

"I'll just let that old man know, I'll be right back." MacCready sighed watching her make her way around the tree. He leaned against it pulling out a cigarette. It was in his hands when he saw that it was soaked. Ah great. He decided instead to follow her to the old man.

They were mid-conversation when MacCready walked up. Anne glanced at MacCready and smiled weakly.

"That's just awful, torturing humans or synths is wrong don't you think?" the old man asked, he was putting what looked like meat on some hooks."

"I mean...I guess so. From what that lady said they are physically just like humans. If that's true it doesn't seem right to torture them," Anne shrugged, "I mean the institute is evil, but it's not the synths fault." she said shaking her head and sighing.

MacCready hadn't expected that response, but the way she put it made sense almost; if they were just like humans, wasn't treating them lesser wrong? It made his head hurt too think about it. The man was looking at her with an odd look.

"Hm, good to know. But you two should head out, you have a long walk ahead of you, where ever you are going." Anne nodded, thanking the man and she turned, making her way off towards the city. MacCready nodded at the man who nodded back and chased after the red-head woman.

They walked slowly through the wastes, managing to sneak their way around raiders to avoid conflict, they snuck past a raider camp stationed on a bridge, Anne got up to the turret and pulled some wires out, making the turret let out a long beep. He could hear the raiders behind him say something in surprise.

"Let's go," Anne whispered, hopping down. She turned to him holding up her hand, which he took. He winced as his legs made contact with the ground again, but Anne gave his hand a squeeze before letting go. He followed after her, and they ran across the bridge, hearing the raiders behind them shouting. It started raining, but not to hard, and MacCready could see a man at the end of the bridge, a raider.

He raised his rifle quick, taking only seconds to get his sights on him and fired at the raider. The man reached up, grabbing his throat but made no noises as he fell to the ground. They got to the end of the bridge, the blood from the neck wound now pooling around the horrified looking man. Anne looked down at the dying man before slamming her bayonet into his head.

"Why did you do that?" MacCready asked. Anne kept staring at the body.

"It was the kindest thing to do." her voice was soft like a ghost was saying it. MacCready would've said something but as the wind blew past it seemed to take the ghost with it, and Anne was moving back down the bridge again. They got to the end, pulling open the final door and slamming it behind them, leaving the dead man to be found by his friends.

They snuck their way through the streets, making their way past the super mutants until they saw the neon sign of Goodneighbor. He'd never been happier to see this shit-hole. They looked at each other with relief before making their way as fast as they could to the gate. Once in the safety of Goodneighbor MacCready let out a long sigh leaning against the wall.

"You're going to be the death of me," he said and Anne let out a laugh, punching him lightly in the arm.

"You wouldn't have it any other way." she teased, and they walked towards Daisy's shop. She looked at them surprised.

"You two look like hell, and that's a compliment coming from me." MacCready rolled his eyes.

"Been a long day Daisy. Wanted to ask if you had heard from that caravan?" He asked, and Daisy nodded.

"Got the radio transmission yesterday; arrived in Megaton last night. Should've got the cure to your boy earlier today," relief that MacCready had never felt before poured over him, and he could feel the tears start to well in his eyes. He placed his hand on his face, trying to hide it. An arm came around him and he grabbed onto Anne like she was saving him from drowning.

"He's got it, Robert," she said into his ear. He felt a sob escape him before he shook his head taking a step back. He wiped his face and looked down at Anne, feeling the stupid grin that showed off his broken teeth spread across his face. She returned his smile with her own.

"I'll have my guys keep checking in Greyditch while they are in the capital, see if there are any updates" MacCready turned his attention back to Daisy and nodded. Daisy glanced around, before gesturing him to come closer.

"You talk to her kid?" Daisy whispered, her eyes still on him, but a hint of a smile on her face.

"Yeah I did, thanks, Daisy. For everything." she smiled, at him and patted his shoulder.

"What are you going to do then? Once Duncans better," Daisy asked rubbing her chin with her other hand, "I don't like the idea of you leaving the commonwealth; lose that pretty face." she teased reaching out and pinching MacCready's cheeks. He wormed himself away laughing, shaking his head.

"I don't know yet Daisy. I'll have to figure that out with Anne. She's got problems with her own son. I owe her at least that." He said, glancing at Anne again, noticing she was laughing while talking to Kleo. He felt his lips move of their own volition to a smile as he looked at her. He could watch her laugh all day.

"You've got it, bad kid," MacCready's head snapped back to the ghoul.

"What?" Daisy shook her head in disbelief, placing her hand over his.

"I'm just happy to see you happy MacCready. You deserve it, you're a good guy." she smiled with her torn lips. MacCready smiled back at her, noticing Anne walk back over.

"Want to head to the third rail? Grab some whisky?" she said to MacCready before turning her attention to Daisy.

"You stop by the library yet?" She asked and Anne shook her head.

"Probably heading there soon. Been a busy week." Anne sighed, and Daisy nodded.

"No rush, libraries not going anywhere," Daisy chuckled, looking between the two of them, "I won't keep you guys, you look like you need a drink,"

"You could say that again," MacCready grumbled looking down at Anne who was smirking at him. They said their goodbyes to Daisy, walking to the third rail and making their way down the stairs Anne walked up to the bar like she had done it a million times, and not only twice before.

"Is the VIP section taken?" Anne asked, looking up to Charlie.

"Well your manners seem to be in there since you don't have any," Charlie said back, annoyed.

Anne pulled out some caps, "I'll pay whatever it is for the VIP room, and two bottles of whiskey, and some ribeyes." Anne place a small pile of caps on the bar. Charlie took the caps and grumbled something MacCready couldn't hear before turning and grabbing two bottles and handing them to her. Anne smiled.

"Always a pleasure Charlie," she said walking towards the VIP section, putting a bottle in MacCreadys hand.

"You spoil me," he followed her as they made their way to the VIP section, he could hear Magnolia singing behind them. He didn't pay attention to her, Anne was walking through the fall to the VIP section taking her coat off, and her skin was taking up all of his attention. She walked up to the couch by his chair, flopping down stomach, and her coat fell on the floor beside it. MacCready sat in the chair he had been sitting in for weeks before he met her. He opened the bottle taking a swig, reaching for his cigarette and then remembering what had happened to them.

"Today was hell," Anne grumbled into the couch rolling over onto her back. He could see the holes in her shirt where the bullets had gone through, and there was still blood stain on it.

"Who's fault was that?" He asked, glancing at her and smirking.

"I'm sorry okay, I didn't think it would be a town where they murdered people to figure out if they were synths!" she threw her arms up towards the ceiling.

"Should've just walked away, because next time we pass by those turrets are going to have a field day with us," he said with a sigh, taking a long swig of the whiskey.

"I'm sorry, want me to say it a million more times?" she sounded annoyed. He put the bottle down and let out a long sigh.

"Anne, I'm just bugging you." he looked at her, noticing her had her hands on her face now.

"I almost got you killed." She groaned and MacCready shook his head.

"No. No, you didn't, you almost got yourself killed. I would've been fine." Her hands were still on her face, so he sighed. Pulling himself out of the chair he moved beside her, crouching.

"Anne." she shook her head. He took her hands, pulling them from her face. She was crying.

"What's wrong? Did I do something?" he asked keeping her hands in his own. Anne shook her head looking up at the ceiling, away from him.

"No, just...after seeing Nate die...the idea of losing you just...scares the shit out of me." she shook her head, pulling her one hand away and wiping her face.

"I know," MacCready chuckled, "I know. The idea of losing you like I lost Lucy is terrifying." he ran his fingers over her knuckles, feeling scar from where she had been hit earlier today.

Anne was wiping her face laughing, "God we're the two fucked up people." she said looking at him. He smiled weakly back, kissing her forehead, her free hand resting on his cheek now.

"Am I interrupting?" came a grumpy British voice from behind them. MacCready stood up walking over and taking the ribeyes from the robot's claws.

"Yes. You are." and Charlie grumbled, floating out of the room, saying something about manners. MacCready walked back placing the plate in Anne's hands. She sat up, MacCready sat back in his chair. Anne had her legs crossed and started eating.

They ate through the food fast, MacCready hadn't realized how hungry he was, but now as soon as he had the meat in his mouth he noticed how empty his stomach felt. They finished setting the plates down. Anne stretched out on the crouch and MacCready sank into the chair, bottle in hand.

"You know before I met you I didn't drink or smoke," Anne said and MacCready looked at her. She was staring at the bottle as if it had answers in it.

"Are you trying to say I'm a bad influence?" MacCready chuckled. Anne shook her head.

"No, I mean...I did it when I was a teenager, but I quit once I got married...was a good housewife." MacCready spits out his whiskey, laughing.

"You? A Good housewife," He shook his head, "I can't see it."

"Nate wanted the whole thing. Housewife, with a picket fence, a son, a daughter later," She shrugged, "But I didn't want to waste my degree, so I convinced him I would start working. He wasn't happy about that." She looked like she was lost in thought, rolling onto her back and staring at the ceiling.

"I can't see you stuck at home, cooking and cleaning."

"No one did. My dad and stepmother were shocked. Maybe eventually I would've eventually gotten bored."

"Didn't you like being married?" MacCready asked and Anne shrugged.

"I loved parts of it, I loved Nate, but I mean no ones perfect, we fought about stuff." she let out a sad sigh. MacCready leaned back. He remembered fighting with Lucy, her not liking that he was still working, she wanted him to stay with her, find a place to settle down.

I should have listened to her.

"Yeah, I know what you mean." He mumbled, looking up at the cracked ceiling. They sat there in silence for a bit, both of them just looking at the roof and drinking, thinking about fights about things that now seemed so trivial and far away.

"What's your plan, after all of this? Once you get Shaun back?" MacCready asked, glancing at her. They'd talked about it before, but now...he wondered if it had changed; did she want to stay in the commonwealth? Maybe she wanted to see the rest of the world...not that it was much better.

"I don't know. I mean I don't think Red Rockets big enough, looking at it now," She let out an aggravated sigh, "I don't know anymore. Are you going back to DC?" She asked. MacCready felt his throat get tight.

"I...I mean I don't know either," he laughed, "There's nothing there for me, but here," He glanced over at her, seeing her eyes on him, "There's something." he said that softly, their eyes locked.

"The caps?" She asked, a smile pulling on her face. MacCready laughed.

"That's it." He put the whiskey bottle down, it was empty now.

"I mean...how serious is this?" Anne asked and MacCready wasn't sure what to say.

"I mean...with you at my side, I feel like I can take on the world," He hadn't meant for that to come out how it did, he glanced back at her, "There's no bond stronger than that."

Anne stood up from the couch walking over and sitting on his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck, "Even if I almost get you killed?" She asked her face now burrowing in his neck; the breath was hot.

"Even if you almost get me killed." He chuckled, his arms going around her waist. She kissed his jaw, and he moved his face down to her. He captured her lips and they kissed. It was a short one and she pulled away looking up at him, her eyes searching his.

"Where you go, I'll follow." she murmured MacCready smiled kissing her forehead.

"Well I think I might bring Duncan here, once he's better," he said softly, running his hand down her back. They sat there in comfortable, drunken silence for a bit before hearing her nose start to whistle. He closed his eyes, starting to feel himself fall asleep.


	39. Your funeral

MacCready woke up with a start, he had sunken deep in the chair, his back hurting. It took him a moment to remember where he was; it had been a long time since he had last woken up in this room. Mac looked around the VIP room; It was empty, and he could smell food cooking from outside of the room.

 _What time is it?_

MacCready pulled himself from the chair, stretching his arms above his head, still feeling a bit sore from yesterday. Then Mac heard the voices, and he looked up at the main room, and he smiled too himself before making his way there.

Sitting at the bar was Daisy and Anne, who were speaking back and forth.

"Honestly when Hilton won I was amazed. I didn't think he would win, with his company ties to Vault-Tec I thought we as a people would recognize how bad of a leader he would be," Daisy sighed, "I was wrong though." He watched the two women from the doorway. It was crazy to think they were the same age.

"My father-in-law loved him. His military plans and how he planned to crush China sold him. Said the ties with Vault-Tec were him watching out for the people," Anne shrugged, "I guess that's how most people felt." Anne said before glancing over her shoulder, Daisy looking with her.

"Oh look who's up," Daisy said, "We tried waking you and you told us to 'fuck off' which wasn't very kind of you." Daisy laughed. MacCready rubbed the back of his neck, letting out a small chuckle. He must've been tired. He glanced up at Anne who was beaming at him.

"Ready to start the day?"

MacCready sat on the stool beside her. "We're heading to the castle?" He asked Charlie handing him a plate of what looked like eggs and slivers of meat. Anne's plate was Clean, Daisy's wasn't and she leaned on the bar.

"The castle? You mean where the Minutemen used to be? Why you heading there?" Daisy asked looking surprised between the two of them. MacCready glanced at Anne, still not fully understanding why they were doing this.

"We're taking it back. Heading there with a small army, clear out whatever this monster is." Anne's words were defiant, and she leaned back crossing her arms.

"Your funeral," Charlie mumbled, taking her plate and floating away.

"Thanks for the support, Charlie," MacCready yelled at the robot who waved one of its arms.

"You guys sure that's a good idea? No one's really sure what came out of the water, could still be there." Daisy asked, concern etching her face.

"You worrying about me Daisy?" MacCready chuckled, placing one of the meat slices in his mouth.

"Maybe I am." Daisy teased And MacCready rolled his eyes. Of course, she was worrying.

"If its anything too big, we're heading out of there. Let the brotherhood deal with it." Anne said standing up now, stretching. MacCready glanced up at her, fully not believing the words coming out of her mouth. Anne was too stubborn to run away.

"That may be even worse," Daisy shook her head, "Just stay safe." she stood up now making her way out of the third rail, waving her hand. MacCready glanced at her before shovelling the rest of his plate into his mouth, not wanting to be as hungry as he was yesterday, again.

"Ready?" He asked when he finished, and Anne nodded her head. She was fiddling with her straps, now with two rifles on her back instead of the one. She looked like she was going to war, maybe they were.

"God I hope this goes well," Anne mumbled under her breath, clearly trying to make sure he didn't hear it.

"I'm sure it will be fine." He said patting her shoulder, and Anne glanced up at him rolling her eyes with a groan. He smiled down at her.

They walked out of Goodneighbor, making their way around the city, avoiding raiders, and taking out a few stray dogs. She mentioned how she didn't want to get distracted, which he couldn't argue against. She seemed to get distracted a lot, making it so the plan for the day was ruined because she wanted to help someone, or saw something interesting. It annoyed him to no end, but he also found it endearing; in this world, there was still so much that was new too her, and that amazed her even if it was awful. They walked for a few hours before making their way around some buildings too see a small park and behind it a small diner where they could see people inside. Anne turned to him.

"Okay, no going back." she smiled weakly.

"Remember, if this is too much, we leave." He looked around the area. _Nothing yet._ He couldn't see anything, he couldn't even see this building they were supposed to be looking for, but he figured Preston would know the way. He glanced back at Anne who was looking at him, chewing her lip.

"What?" He asked looking at her confused. She walked up to him, placing her hand on his cheek. He felt himself soften under her touch.

"Just...I hope this goes well." she was still looking at him, her eyes sinking into him. He could see the sun reflecting in them, lighting up the green pools. He placed his hand over hers, rubbing his finger over the back of her hand.

"We'll be fine, as long as we know our limits." she took a step closer to him now, her face now inches from his. He instinctively pulled himself down, kissing her. Her lips were always soft, in the harsh of the wastes, her lips were always soft. He could feel the warmth of the sun on his back, and for a second, everything melted away. His other hand held his rifle, and he wanted to let it go, let everything go and pull her close to him. She pulled away from him, looking up at him, smiling slightly.

"We've got this." she pulled her hand out from under his own. He didn't want her to, but he didn't try to pull her closer like he wanted to. They walked up to the small building, Anne leading the way.

Walking into the small diner was Preston, and 3 people in uniforms similar. This was the army. 6 people.

 _We're fucked._

Anne walked up to Preston who looked at her, MacCready making his way to the counter, one of the Minutemen was sitting at and leaning against it, "Everyone's here general, " _Oh great,_ "There it is," they looked out the blown outside, where a building sat which was just a brick building, "Pretty impressive, huh? Its real name is Fort independence but the Minutemen always just called it the castle. Now you can see why I wanted to take it back." Preston looked down at Anne with a weird look of Pride, and MacCready felt uncomfortable. How do you tell someone that something that they loved so much looked like garbage?

"Maybe. Those walls could definitely use some work." Anne said, looking at the building. MacCready smiled to himself, looking at the building. Anne was being kind, the building needed a lot more then the walls done.

"I'll admit, it's seen better days. But the Minutemen have never been afraid of hard work," Preston let out a long sigh before standing straighter, "Our primary objective is to clear the courtyard. That's where we should see the most opposition. The wall on this side is the most exposed, but if we circle around south, we could also reach the main gate." Preston was going to continue but someone behind them let out a angry sigh.

"What are we waiting for? Let's just get in there and shoot those lobsters." came a man who had come up behind them. He sounded agitated. MacCready shook his head irritated. None of these people had actually been in a fight like they were entering before had they? A woman came up beside MacCready shaking her head and looking annoyed.

"No. If we split up, we can flank them from both sides. It'll be like shooting fish in a barrel." The woman sounded smug, crossing her arms with a smile on her face. Her idea was better, but splitting up had its disadvantages. Smaller numbers meant they could get overrun easier, and MacCready didn't like that.

"Why not let them come to us? We set up a firing line on this side, and you can draw them out." a third man spoke now, his skin looked more worn than the rest. That idea wasn't bad either, but he didn't like the idea of sending Anne in alone to draw out whatever was in there. MacCready looked at Anne who looked a bit overwhelmed as she stared at the 3.

"Well, General, what do you think?" Preston asked looking at Anne, who let out a long sigh and closed her eyes. He could see the gears turning in her head, but he already knew what she would say.

 _God damn it, Anne._

"Set up a firing line and I'll draw them out." MacCready shook his head. He didn't like this idea, at all. He wanted to tell her how stupid the idea was but looked down at the ground.

"Sure whatever, better you than me," he grumbled, he thought he had said it under his breath but he looked up at Anne who looked hurt by what he said. _Fuck._

"Sounds good, we'll hold them back and wait for them to come to us. Just don't get yourself trapped in there," He turned to the rest of the Minutemen now, "Alright people, you heard the general. Let's move out."

MacCready was taking a step towards Anne who was looking away from them when Preston stepped between them, "Try not to draw their attention until we are in position." he said with a nod and the Minutemen ran out of the building, leaving MacCready and Anne in the building. He tried to think of something too say to make her feel better for the stupid thing he had said. Sorry, I'm an asshole who shoves his foot in mouth didn't have the right ring to it.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it...you just picked the option I hated the most," Anne looked at him shaking her head, "We don't know what's in there, and you going in there alone." he sighed and Anne looked up at him. She didn't look angry, which made him feel worse.

"MacCready, I'll be fine. You're with me," she took a step towards him placing her hand on his arm, "We took out the gunners, we took out the compound. Together we can do this." she shook her head and smiled weakly. He let out a long breath as he looked down at her. So much god damn hope in her that hadn't been sucked out by the wastes yet. It was amazing.

"I'm sorry I said that. I didn't mean it," he said taking her hand in his, "The last thing I would ever want is you hurt. You know that." he squeezed her hand in his and Anne sighed, shaking her head and squeezing his hand back. It was a small gesture, but a reassuring one.

"I know. If it helps I'm scared shitless," MacCready let out a chuckle as she said that, "They're in position. You ready?" she asked and MacCready sighed and nodded. He didn't really have a choice.

"As ready as I can be for whatever is in there," he pulled his hat down and gave a small smile, "Let's go kick some ass." They walked out of the ruined diner, making their way up to the castle. He glanced over at Anne, who was still chewing on her lip. They came over the edge, looking into this castle.

There were eggs everywhere, and Mirelurks were scuttling around in the mud.

"This must have been one heck of a circus when the Minutemen were in town," MacCready said glancing at Anne who chuckled.

"I don't even know what that means," she said before shooting one of the eggs. With that, the rest of the eggs exploded open, and three mirelurks shot out of the ground. Anne started running back to the firing squad, MacCready following, keeping his eyes on the Mirelurks running up to them. They were fast little fuckers.

The firing range started shooting, but Mirelurks were still making their way down. MacCready planted himself, taking shots at the mirelurk that was running down towards them from the other side. Soon more came out of the ground, and MacCready was shooting whatever he could. He was getting good at landing in the small gap where their face was exposed. Mirelurks were falling now left right and center and he glanced over his shoulder.

Anne wasn't there. He scanned the area, trying to figure out where she had gone and then found her against some tree, A mirelurk snipping at her. He could hear her yelling at the Mirelurk.

MacCready ran up to her, ignoring the rest, seeing her struggle. As he approached he saw a bullet fly through the Mirelurks shell before falling over, Anne was breathing heavy, Kellogs pistol in her hand. She glanced up at MacCready, her eyes wild. He smiled weakly and Anne's eyes went wide. He looked behind him. About 8 more Mirelurks were now running down to Minutemen.

"Ah crap." He grumbled and they ran up to the Mirelurks. Anne ran up to one, slamming her bayonet into a Mirelurks exposed face and it let out a screech. MacCready shot a Mirelurk that was charging at the female Minuteman, and it fell down, with her shooting it in the face. The woman looked at MacCready and smiled a wide smile, one of her teeth was missing. MacCready turned from her shooting more of the mirelurks that were making their way towards them. Soon the area was clear and they MacCready let out a long sigh, looking at Anne who was now making her way back up to the fort. MacCready ran up to her.

"That could've gone better," Anne grumbled and MacCready chuckled.

"That seems to be the story for how things go for us," he said and Anne looked up at him smiling weakly.

Another Mirelurk came running at them, and MacCready quickly had his rifle up and let out a shot, hearing something fire beside him. The mirelurks face exploded, and he looked over at Anne, who was lowering her rifle. MacCready laughed.

"Now that's what I call a confirmed kill." He said and Anne smirked up at him. The Minutemen ran past the two of them, and Preston now stood in the middle of the yard, him and the other Minutemen now running up to the clutches and crushing the eggs. Preston was looking around the castle amazed as if he was seeing the most amazing thing in the world. MacCready glanced around, not quite seeing it.

 _Whatever floats your boat I guess._

"Come on, let's clear out the inside," Anne said making her way towards the fort. MacCready looked away from Preston and followed behind her. She grabbed a grenade off her hip, pulling the pin and threw it at a clutch of eggs sitting by the doorway. Most of the eggs broke and they stepped on the rest of started making their way towards another clutch of eggs and MacCready raised his rifle to shoot on when Anne raised her hand.

"Wait, that patch of dirt…." She raised her rifle, letting out a shot. A mirelurk shot out of the ground. MacCready watched as she quickly let out a quick succession of shots, and the Mirelurk fell. MacCready looked at her.

"How did you notice that?" he asked and Anne shrugged.

"The ground was too smooth and too green. Kind of stood out too me." She started stepping on the eggs. She had changed so much in the past few weeks. She had gone from a woman who had barely known how to shoot, to now a woman who could exist in the wastes better than some people who had lived their whole lives in it. Maybe she was right, maybe he worried too much.

"You're thoughts?" Anne asked, making her way through the room, picking up missiles and examining them. MacCready shrugged.

"Well I may be covered in a bunch of Mirelurk slime, but I'm hanging in there. Where to now?" HEeasked and Anne chuckled.

"You and me both. I don't know. Once we get this cleared hopefully this monster was just a myth, and we can get some decent sleep." She sighed and MacCready looked at her.

"Let's hope," he mumbled before hearing a loud bang from outside. Anne looked at him and he could see fear flicker in her eyes. They ran out of the room, Anne behind him. As they entered the courtyard, there, coming over the broken wall was a large Mirelurk Queen.

"Figures," Anne shouted from behind him.


	40. What were you thinking

**AN:** LAST CHAPTER NEXT WEEK. Then I will be back with the next part of the story on JUNE 24. Moving too Mondays since it will be easier to post earlier.

NEXT CHAPTER will be posted a bit late since I'm on vacation that week. Anyways, enjoy guys.

* * *

"There's the monster!" He shouted raising his rifle and firing. The Queen didn't seem to notice he was hitting it.

"What the fuck is that?!" Anne shouted, grabbing her laser rifle and shooting as well. It didn't seem to notice her shots either.

"A Mirelurk queen! You don't see them often, but when you do you wish you weren't!" He fired again. It was frustrating him now that he seemed to be doing nothing to this big creature. It turned towards them, now shooting Acid at them.

 _Okay, maybe it did notice._

"Anne move!" He shouted running into one of the rooms, Anne chasing after him. They got into the building hearing the acid sizzle against the ground

"Fuck this," Anne grumbled, grabbing the missile launcher that was sitting in the corner. She quickly started loading it.

"What are you doing?" He asked, feeling stupid as soon as the words came out of his mouth.

She ran out of the doorway and fired. As she fired he heard the Queen let out an angry cry, which was then covered by the sound of the missile exploding against it.

"It's still doing nothing!" Anne shouted angrily, jumping behind the wall again. MacCready looked at her and shook his head. That was when he heard the clicking of mirelurks heading their way.

 _For fuck's sake._

"You focus on the queen, I'll pick off the mirelurks and the hatchlings." He glanced at Anne on the other side of the room, reloading the missile launcher, "When it shoots that acid gets behind the wall. Don't let it hit you." He said hearing the queen walking towards them and the Minutemen shouting.

They waited, breath held listening to the clicking of the queen as it moved away. As soon as it started to sound faint they jumped out, Anne let out another missile and MacCready started shooting at the hatchlings, watching as they exploded. The missile hit the queen and Anne already had the second missile loaded as the queen turned to them. Anne fired once more and then jumped behind the wall, MacCready following and they watched as Acid flew past the doorframe at where they had just been standing. Anne winced and MacCready noticed hatchlings making their way into the room they were in. He fired quickly with his rifle, the mirelurk juice splattering his and Anne's feet. Anne let out a disgusted groan before two large pincers slammed through the doorway between them hitting the door on the other side and blasting them off. Anne let out a scream and MacCready grabbed his knife digging it into the claw. He pulled down with all his might, making his way a quarter through before the claws pulled out of the door and the queen let out an angry cry before he could hear it start walking away. He looked at Anne who looked terrified.

 _She wasn't expecting this._

"You okay," He asked and she let out a small nod, clearly pale, "Hey, we haven't met our limit yet. We've got this." He said and she nodded again. He'd never seen her this scared, now she seemed too confident, but now he was looking at the woman who had been attacked outside Goodneighbor by dogs, not the woman who had been running through the compound with him yesterday.

They waited until the Queen's clicking was starting to fade away. MacCready looked and Anne and she let out a long breath before they stepped out from the doorway.

Anne fired off the missile, and the queen let out a cry in anger, MacCready started shooting a Mirelurk that was running at them, and Anne was letting out another missile as the Queen started shooting eggs at them. He ignored the hatchlings, focusing on the mirelurk instead which was now right in front of them. He slammed the barrel into the mireurks stomach and fired, watching the mirelurk snap its claws at him. He kicked the mirelurk, and it flew backwards, letting out a final twitch and then going limp. Mac was reloading, hearing Anne shoot off another missile, but she was wincing in pain, he looked down at her feet, where some of the hatchlings were snapping at her. He started shooting them, ignoring the ones that were snapping his feet.

"Robert!" Anne shouted and MacCready noticed she was making her way to the door. He looked up at the Queen who was now shooting acid.

"Oh shit." He muttered now turning and running to the door. He ran as fast he could, hearing the acid hit the ground behind him.

 _Fuck, Fuck, Fuck, Fuck, Fuck._

He made his way around the corner when he felt a burning on his looked down. His left arm from the elbow down was covered in acid.

"Fuck!" He shouted rubbing his elbow in the dirt and watching the fabric start to burn away. He could see his hand starting to blister.

"Are you okay?" Anne shouted, reaching into her pocket and tossing a stimpak at him. He caught it with his not injured hand and injected it into his arm, hearing the clicking of the queen much louder now.

"Thanks." He shouted, feeling the Queen slamming into the wall by where they were. He felt the pain in his hand start to subside and he looked over at Anne who looked less scared than before, but still pale and like she wanted to run. He gave her a smile, trying to reassure her, and she gave him a weak one back like she was trying to be brave. They were two idiots, trying to reassure each other in the face of death.

They waited, hearing shouting from far away, the Minutemen trying to get the Queen's attention, as she kept slamming into the building they were in. Slowly they heard it move and he looked at Anne who gave him a quick nod.

Once again they jumped out, and MacCready instantly noticed Preston on the other side of the courtyard shooting at the Monster. He started shooting at the hatchlings, watching them explode. He hadn't noticed the sound of the missile launcher, but he saw the impact of it hitting the Queen, who let out an angry noise, and he noticed parts of its shell were now falling off.

 _Holy shit we're doing this._

The Queen was starting to turn and Mirelurk came running at Anne, she ignored it, instead lifting the freshly loaded launcher up to the Queen. He fired at the mirelurks legs, knocking one out. It slowed it down a bit but still it was getting closer then he would've liked. He heard the blast of the launcher and at that moment ran by Anne as she loaded the launcher at the mirelurk. He ran up to the mirelurk, getting its attention, it slammed its claw into MacCreadys stomach and he winced at the impact but kept himself sturdy. He took the rifle and slammed the but of it into the Mirelurks face. Weird grey goo came out of it as he hit it, maybe the eyes exploding, and the mirelurk stumbled backwards letting out a scream. He raised his rifle and let out two quick shots into the mirelurks face. It let out an angry cry before falling on the ground with a thud. MacCready turned, looking back at Anne.

The Queen was running at her, not trying to shoot out acid or eggs, just trying to crush her. Anne had the missile launcher raised though, but he could already see if she fired it would hit her too.

"Anne!" He shouted, hoping she would look over. She didn't, and the missile flew from the launcher. It hit the Queen in the face, and it screamed blood now pouring from a large crevice where its head had been. As it hit the Queen, Anne flew backwards, the impact having blasted her. She hit the wall they had been hiding behind and he could almost hear the impact of her skull hitting the wall. He didn't even think of checking to see if the Queen was dead, he just ran up to her with the sound of the Queen moaning behind them before the ground shook as it hit the ground. There were still hatchlings running around, but he just stepped on them, making his way to Anne. He got to her and grabbed Anne in his arms. Her head rolled backwards, and there were scraps of what looked like shell in her face, dug in and blood pouring from the cuts. He started going through her pockets, looking for something to help before finding and grabbing the stimpaks from her coat. Anne let out a cough, blood came out with it. He rested her head in his lap, taking the stimpak and pressing it into her chest, trying to heal whatever was broken in there. Quickly he noticed that his lap was wet and he noticed the pool of blood under her head. His eyes went wide.

"Medic!" He shouted to the courtyard, hearing footsteps run up to him.

"General!" Prestons voice came from over his shoulder and then saw him crouch across from him and start rifling through his own pockets for stimpaks

MacCready quickly pulled his coat off, holding it up to the back of her head, trying to keep pressure on it.

"Stimpaks aren't enough, we need a doctor." MacCready said as Preston pulled pressed a stimpak into her chest again. Anne let out another cough, blood coming out still.

"Jan!" Preston shouted, and the young woman from earlier came running up to them, and quickly she took Anne from MacCready and started shouting that they needed a bed. She turned her eyes to MacCready and there was a hardness there he hadn't seen earlier.

"I need you to go get some purified water, we had some in that diner. Get it, and bring it to us," the other two minutemen picked Anne up, Preston was gone, where MacCready didn't know. He didn't need to be told again, he got up and started running to the diner, going over dead mirelurks, hatchlings, and a person.

 _God damn it, I shouldn't have left her._

She was too headstrong and willing to put herself at risk. He hated it. He made his way into the diner looking around, then seeing a small sack. He ran up to it and opened it. Inside was cans of purified water and food. He grabbed the whole sack, as heavy as it was and started making his way as fast as he could to the castle.

He got into the courtyard and it was empty other then the corpses. He couldn't process it and saw one of the minutemen walking out on the other side, shaking his head. He made his way over to the man who looked up at him, lighting a cigarette.

"She's in there," he gestured, taking the cigarette out of his mouth and looking at the mirelurks, "We're going to be eating like kings," he said and MacCready ignored him, making his way into the castle. Down the hall, he could hear talking, and he ran towards it before finding Preston, the doctor, and Anne laid out.

There was a small bed set up, and Anne laid there with his coat over her. She was very pale, and her face had slight scars from where the shell had been in her face, but it was pretty much healed, he could see one of her arms was wrapped up, and the female minute man was grabbing a thread and needle.

"Oh good, you've got it," she said walking over to him and taking out a can of water. Preston was standing over by Anne's head.

"It's great we got the castle back, but this wasn't supposed to happen," he said sadly looking at MacCready with a sad look. MacCready said nothing watching the woman walk over to Anne with the can of water and thread and needle in her hand. If he said anything he'd probably start yelling.

"Okay General I need you to hold her up, you," she looked at MacCready, "I need you to stay here with me, and I need you pouring water when I say so, and inserting the stimpaks." He nodded making his way over to her and taking the can of water. Preston pulled her up by the shoulders and leaned her body against him. In any other situation, MacCready wouldn't like that, but he ignored it, now wasn't the time.

"Okay pour some water now." The woman said and MacCready cracked the tab, she held the hair on the back of her head back and now MacCready saw it. There was a giant gash where her head had hit the wall. It was huge and blood was still pouring out. He took a long breath and then poured the water over it, trying to clean the wound.

It kept bleeding, but soon it was cleaner than before revealing the exposed skull, "Okay hold her hair back like I am." the woman said, and MacCready quickly put his hands over hers, holding back Anne's hair. The small hands slipped out from his and she was weaving the flesh together. He watched the woman's small hands making their way back and forth like she had done this a million times. She stopped and slipped her hands back under his.

"Okay I need you to insert a stimpak right in the middle of whats together, but be gentle so you don't pull out the stitches." MacCready reached back, where a small crate sat with 2more purified waters along with the open one he had used a bit and a small stack of stimpaks. He grabbed one and quickly inserted it into the wound, pushing the liquid into her head until there was no more and then he threw it to the ground.

"Pour some more water on it now." The woman said and MacCready grabbed the can that was open and poured the rest of it over the wound. He placed his hands back holding her hair back and the women went back to work.

For the next 10 minutes, this pattern continued until eventually her head was sewn together and the bleeding had stopped. His hands were wet and covered in blood, and the woman's hands were drenched. She let out a long sigh and sat back.

"We don't have any blood packs, so all we can do is let her rest," she said walking over and taking purified water from the pack and pouring it over her hands.

"When will she wake up again?" MacCready asked, looking down at her. Preston laid her down gently, her head resting on a minuteman coat that was bunched up.

"Can't give an exact answer. Earliest I'd say sometime tonight," she pulled her coat back on.

"I can stay with her," he said sitting on the edge of her bed, noticing some bandages around her ankle.

"MacCready you aren't a minuteman, she's our general. I'll stay here." Preston said, the woman lit a cigarette and shook her head walking out of the room. MacCready sat up straighter.

"I'm not a minuteman. I have nothing do. You're now the leader and have a job to do leading your soldiers. I'm staying here." he was firm with his voice. There was no debate on this. Preston shook his head before walking up to Anne and placing his hand on her forehead.

"Stay strong General." He said sadly before turning and making his way out of the room. MacCready could hear him shouting once he had exited the room and MacCready leaned back against the wall, her legs behind him and he placed his hands on his face, then remembering the blood.

He stood up and open purified water, pouring it over his hands and then looked around the room.

His coat was draped over her, and he could see that most of her arms and legs were exposed, and he could see dark bruises forming. Her left arm was bandaged and resting bent on her stomach. He could see her right eye had a large bruise forming. He sighed walking over to her and brushing some hair out of her face.

"What were you thinking." He murmured, feeling the soft skin under his hands. She never seemed to realize how fragile she was. With the glowing one, the other day at the compound, he could feel himself getting angry at her.

 _What did Lucy used to say?_

He sat down on the crate and took a long breath, closing his eyes. He sat there, just focusing on hearing himself breath in and out until he could get his thoughts in order. He opened his eyes again and looked at Anne who was laying there, breathing in and out.

He couldn't be mad at her. Not really. He was frustrated, but he knew where she was coming from. How many years had he done something similar? He would do it again too if it meant protecting Duncan, Lucy, or her. He let out a long sigh and realized this wasn't something that she just did, he did too. _How can I criticize her for that if I do that too?_

He stood up and looked around the room. There were a few more cans of purified water, and her pack laid on the ground with her rifles beside it, and beside it a pile of clothes.

 _Pile of clothes?_

He looked back at Anne, now noticing that her legs that were sticking out from under his coat were bare, along with her arms. Of course they'd taken her clothes off, she was hurt, they needed to see the extent of her wounds. Still, he felt odd thinking about the fact that she was so close to him in so little.

 _Did Preston see her naked?_

Now wasn't the time to think of that. He looked around, realizing how open she was to the outside. Anyone could just walk in. He looked around the room and then back at Anne. There had to be a room around here with a door. He looked around the room and then walked to the doorway and looked out. There were crates lining the hallways, and he could hear shouting and banging from outside. He looked back at Anne who hadn't moved. He made his way outside and looked around. Minutemen were sawing wood, welding, and doing all sorts of construction work on the castle. It hadn't been long, but they were already hard at work. He looked around, before spotting Preston, leaning on a table, talking to someone. He slowly walked up to him

"If we increase fortifications here and here, we can keep ourselves safe from super mutants," Preston said. MacCready stood behind him now.

 _Do I interrupt?_

"If they send in suiciders though it'll knock that wall down in seconds, we need something sturdier." the man beside Preston said, glancing behind him and seeing MacCready. He stood back and Preston now looked up.

"Get bored already?" Preston asked, turning around and crossing his arms looking at MacCready.

"No, just...with all the construction it's pretty loud, and that room is out in the open. Do you think we could find a room with a door, somewhere more private so she can rest?" MacCready noticed the man beside Preston giving him an incredulous look.

"I understand she's the boss, but we've got a lot on our plate right now if you haven't noticed sir I think-" Preston raised his hand and the man stopped talking. _Impressive, I can't even get Duncan to stop talking._

"I understand. I had a room I was going to give her anyways. Give us a few hours, we'll get the mirelurk eggs and everything else out, then we can move her in there." Preston nodded, looking at the man beside him, who looked incredibly annoyed. Preston gave another nod and the man walked off, heading into the castle shaking his head. MacCready looked at Preston, who was turning back to the table he had been leaning on.

"Thanks, Preston." MacCready started to turn when Preston glanced back at him.

"I have to say MacCready, whatever game your playing, it's not going to work. Anne's a good person, she's not going to let you do whatever is easiest to make money." Preston said that over his shoulder. MacCready felt like Preston had just spat on him.

MacCready's teeth gritted, "I'm not working for her Preston. I paid her all the money she paid originally back. We're together now because we're friends," he started walking away from Preston feeling the anger in his stomach, "can you say that?" he walked quickly back to the room, ignoring the people around him working on the castle just focusing on getting back to Anne. He walked into the room and sat on the end of the mattress, leaning himself back against the wall and closing his eyes.

 _It's been a bad day._


	41. I'm tired of being scared

**AN:** When there is an * it means sexual content ahead until the next *

* * *

MacCready wasn't sure when he had fallen asleep, but he felt movement and opened his eyes quickly. _She's up._

Standing there was the woman who had stitched Anne up, looking surprised at the now awake man.

"Oh um...I'm sorry, I just wanted to check on her and make sure she was doing alright...didn't want to wake you." she crouched now and was moving Anne's head a bit so she could look at the back of her head.

"Don't worry about it...how long has it been? Do you know if they got her room ready?" He asked sitting up and rubbing his eyes.

"It's been about 4 hours...honestly I thought she'd be awake by now...her wound looks fine so she just needs rest." she rested Anne's head back down and looked back at him.

"I uh...I heard you and Preston got in an argument...can I ask, what are you doing here?" she was rubbing her hands together and looked uncomfortable.

"Anne's my friend, and I guess you could say we're partners...where she goes I go." he looked down at Anne, who still looked peaceful sleeping.

"I guess that makes sense...Preston just doesn't know you. He's just really protective." the girl said it quietly. It was like she was scared to be in the same room as MacCready, though he didn't understand why.

"You think I'm not?" he asked, and her face shot up and she shook her head.

"No, no I mean...I think Preston sees her as the last hope for the Minutemen, he's put all his faith in her." The girl looked at Anne and then back at MacCready, still nervous.

MacCready didn't like that idea, of Anne being the end all be all of the Minutemen; she had enough on her plate, she didn't also need Preston's insecurities.

 _Isn't that what you're doing though?_

MacCready shook his head, looking back at Anne. He didn't know how to respond, so he just looked back at Anne, examining her face. There would be new scars now.

"Preston wanted me to let you know that rooms ready also, so if you want I can help you move her." MacCready looked back at the girl.

"I uh...I should be able to carry her, but could you bring her clothes and pack? I don't want to risk dropping her." he stood up looking down at Anne. He'd have to pick her up, and she was naked under his coat. He could feel his nerves starting to act up.

 _It's just her skin, you have to carry her there._

"Are you sure?" He heard the woman behind him say, and he nodded. MacCready took a step forward and hooked his arm under her knee's, and the other behind her back. He started lifting her and then realized her coat was falling off.

"Actually could you make sure my coat doesn't fall," he called behind him. He Heard her start making her way to him. She stood beside him and MacCready started lifting Anne. As he lifted her the coat started to slide down her chest, and thankfully the girl managed to pull the coat back up, keeping Anne's body covered. MacCready started making his way out of the room, and the girl ran grabbing Anne's pack and clothes, following him.

"Where's this room?" he asked, trying to keep his mind of Anne's skin against his hands, it was hard though since it was one of the softest things he had ever touched.

"Just down this hall, it'll be the big double doors on the left," Jan called from behind him. MacCready scanned the walls.

 _Big double doors, big double doors._

After what felt an internity he found the big double doors, which thankfully were open, the room was mostly ruined, but there was a bed set up in the corner with a blanket full of holes over it. He could see the remains of the mirelurk eggs that they had smashed earlier, and some muddy footsteps from people cleaning the room. There was a lantern lit on a small box, showing the slime he could still see on the walls. The place was private though, and that's what mattered.

He laid Anne on the bed, throwing the blanket over her. He was just happy to have her skin out from his fingertips. He heard the other woman placing the pack down somewhere behind him. He pushed some hair out of Anne's face, before realizing that he could now take his jacket back. He reached under the blanket and pulled his jacket out, sliding it back on.

 _That feels better._

"Uh, we're just cooking up some mirelurks, did you want me to bring you some?" he heard the soft voice say from behind him.

MacCready shook his head, he really just wanted to be left alone now. The girl seemed to pick up on that, and she said something he didn't hear before leaving.

MacCready sat on the bed beside Anne, running his hands over his face. She'd wake up soon, then he would be able to stop worrying. He let out a long sigh and leaned back against the wall. He was hungry but couldn't eat, the idea of doing anything made him feel tired.

He closed his eyes, listening to the sound of people moving through the building repairing broken walls, and cleaning. It was a steady sound, one that soon made the world feel soft.

MacCready sat up startled, blinking the sleep out of his eyes. He hadn't meant to fall asleep again, but he had. He was still trying to realize what time it was when he realized Anne wasn't laying in the bed, and a small light was lit on the desk.

"Anne?" He said softly looking up. A figure was facing away from him, and his breath caught in his throat.

Anne was standing before him, her back to him, but she was naked. He had seen this before, almost, but now she was close to his grasp. He wanted to look away but he couldn't. The light shined off her skin, making her almost look like her skin was fire. She turned slightly, and he felt his mouth get dry.

Her body had scars he had not seen before, one sat between her breasts, and another scar was over her lower stomach. One of the things that amazed him was the lack of body hair, she was almost bare and he wasn't sure why. He had only met a few women who lacked body hair. It made her look even more otherworldly as if she was something else. He could also see small marks on her stomach, something he had seen on Lucy, she had called them stretch marks.

She stood there, looking at him, not trying to hide from his eyes.

"I didn't think you would wake up." her voice sounded like a ghost, far away yet in his ear. He tried to think of a coherent response but nothing came to mind. He just looked at her, his body feeling tight. She smiled looking down at herself.

"If I had known you would have this reaction I would've done it sooner." She walked towards him, and he moved backwards, as much as he could. He was trying to get himself away from her, though why he couldn't really say. Soon his back hit a wall, but Anne kept coming closer.

She stood in front him, her body was now in his reach, and he couldn't help his hand from coming up and resting on her hip. The skin was soft under his palm, and he felt his fingers dig in a bit as if looking for something hard. Her hand came down resting over his.

"I…" he tried to say something but no words came out of his mouth, he looked up at her, and she moved down to him. She straddled him, sitting on his lap, her arms wrapping around his neck. She looked at him, and his whole body felt like it was on fire.

"I thought...you didn't…" She kissed him, stopping the words from coming out of his mouth, her hands slid down to his shirt, making its way under and touching his skin. Her touch made him kiss her more, her mouth opening slightly and letting his tongue in. She let out a small moan against him, her hand now pulling his shirt off. He pulled back as she pulled the shirt off his head.

"I'm tired of being afraid," she said softly kissing him again, her chest pressing against him. Her skin was soft, and his hand made its way up to her chest, taking it in his hand, and his other making it's way lower, sliding between her legs. She laughed shaking her head.

"That's not fair." She murmured pulling her head away, as she did it felt like air being taken away from him. His hands reached forward, grabbing her again and adjusting himself so she was laying on the small bed, looking up at him. She looked amused, and that drove him wilder. He brought his face down to hers, kissing her again. He was about to dig his fingers into her hair before remembering the stitches. Instead, his one hand went down, tracing it's way down. Her own hands were busy, making quick work of his pants, unbuckling and unbuttoning as if she had done it a million times. Her hands slid down and grabbing on and he grunted. She giggled and kissed his neck, putting pressure on it. He found his hand back between her legs, and she moaned at his touch. He smiled, moving his face down to her, They're was a fire in this that hadn't been there before as if they had limited time. He didn't care what happened, and quickly he kicked his jeans off, moving his mouth down to her chest. Her body arched into him, and he enjoyed this feeling. It had been long since he had felt...anything like this. In the time since he had lost Lucy, there had been...people, but it hadn't been like this. That was always selfish, with the idea of getting yourself off first and foremost. This was different. He didn't want this because it felt good, he wanted this because he wanted to have the experience with her, and it felt good.

Her hands were still on him, making his head fuzzy, she glanced up, her head thrown back and she was letting out long breaths. Her legs moved slightly, and he looked up at her.

"Anne...I thought you said that-" She looked down at him shaking her head. She pulled him up, and he realized what was happening.

"I'm tired of not doing what I want here because I'm scared. I'm doing what I want." The words had a command in them that made him feel more...he couldn't be sure. He kissed her and moved his body closer to hers.

And soon, they were as close as they could be, and she laid beneath him, holding back moans. Her fingers dug into his back, pulling him closer, and his face buried in her hair, taking in her smell. She would move her body sometimes as if trying to get a better angle, and when she did sometimes she would suck her breath back, her head digging into the mattress. His one hand came to her face, and his lips captured hers again. This was now a tangle of them, where one ending where the other began. His grunts and her moans became almost a song, speeding up as it went on. He couldn't tell how long it been before he shook his head. Her legs were around him, holding him in place but, he could tell the end was coming. He pulled himself from her, but her hands came up to him, digging into his hair, pulling him down to her. She kissed him again, moaning and that was all it took. His body tensed against her soft one, and as he did she seemed to groan, her own body responding in kind. He felt her tighten around him, pulling him closer. She let out a soft moan against him, turning into heavy breathing.

They stayed there for a moment, him adjusting slightly so they were now just pressed against each other. They were breathing heavy, both covered in sweat, and he could feel the marks from her fingers in his back. He pressed his forehead to hers and she groaned.

"I may be remembering things wrong, but that…" she said beneath him before laughing slightly.

"Good?" He said rolling beside her, facing her. Her hands came to her face but a grin was on her face.

"Very," she said moving slightly, "I can't feel my legs." he laughed at that his hand now running over her body, trying to memorize it underneath him.

"I don't think I can either." He muttered, and she peaked at him.

"I have a lot to teach you," she said rolling to face him. His hand ran over the scar on her chest.

"Like what?" He asked, feeling the raised skin under his fingers.

"It'll be a surprise." she murmured, burying her face in his neck. He kissed her forehead, grabbing the small blanket that was on the end of the bed and throwing it over them.

"I'll look forward to it." he murmured, and he felt her breathing slow down beside him. He listened for a bit, hearing her fall asleep. Listening to her sleep, and feeling her body against his he closed his eyes. He was happier then he had been in a long time, even if just a few hours ago he had been more terrified then he had been in a long time. He fell asleep at her flowery scent now mingled with his own one of grime.

* * *

 **AN:** So that's the end. That's the endddd of this part. I hope everyone has enjoyed, and hope to see you in the next part of the story, and if I don't I'll miss you but hope you have fun. Thank you to everyone who has read, cared, glanced, and gone on this journey with me. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.

Also: PLEASE PRACTICE SAFE SEX. These two are stupid, please please practice safe sex.

I'll see you guys again on June 24!


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